Cristiano Ronaldo Rumors: Real Madrid Star To Transfer To Manchester United, PSG Or Another Club In 2018?

Cristiano Ronaldo has a busy summer ahead of him. After winning his fourth Champions League title in five years on Saturday, the Real Madrid superstar will look to lead Portugal to glory at the World Cup and may have visions of finishing his club career outside of La Liga.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner sparked rumors about a possible exit from Santiago Bernabeu in a television interview following the 3-1 victory over Liverpool.

"Now is the time to enjoy this," Ronaldo said. "And in the coming days you will have my answer to the fans, the ones who have really been on my side. It has been very nice being at Real Madrid."

Possible discontent with Real Madrid is nothing new for Ronaldo, who in September 2012 famously, and vaguely, said he was "sad" in what appeared to be a coded message to team president Florentino Perez. The "sad" commented prompted Alfredo Relano, editor of Spanish newspaper AS, to write that Ronaldo wanted a contract for life at Real Madrid.

The result was a highly lucrative contract, as Real Madrid and Ronaldo would agree in September 2013 to a five-year deal worth 17 million euros a year ($19.2 million) and with Ronaldo publicly claiming he would stay in Madrid for the rest of his career.

"Manchester United is the past. Real Madrid is now my home," Ronaldo said after signing the new deal. "I hope that I'm here until I retire. This is a great club."

More confirmation of Ronaldo's commitment to Real Madrid would follow. In November 2016, Real Madrid announced that Ronaldo had signed a contract extension that would keep him with the club until 2021 and just months after he claimed that he could play until he was 40 years old.

But the latest comments, which were made about Real Madrid in the past tense, suggest Ronaldo might actually be serious about moving on despite some curious backtracking.

"I spoke when I shouldn't have done but something is going to happen. It wasn't the right time, but I was honest," said Ronaldo.

"In a week I'll say something because the fans have always supported me and are in my heart. I don't speak much, but when I speak, I speak.

"Obviously I have something to say, but it wasn't the right time, although I don't regret it, because I was honest. I've kept putting up with this but then I couldn't control myself."

Should Ronaldo announce he will move on, which could be imminent, there will be plenty of questions as to where he might end up.

One destination that would undoubtedly get mentioned is his former club Manchester United, which has failed to over-achieve under Ronaldo's former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. Some might feel Ronaldo's storybook return would be a rebirth for the famed European power amid the struggles since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, and that Ronaldo would be elevated to hero status for rescuing the English side.

Between May 2016 and January 2018, numerous British tabloid reports linked Ronaldo with a return to Old Trafford. The Sun reported in June 2017 that Ronaldo had told his agent, Jorge Mendes, that he wanted to move back to Manchester United, his home from 2003 to 2009. The Telegraph reported in May 2016 that United was eager to re-sign Ronaldo, who still owns his home in nearby Cheshire and rents it out to Luke Shaw.

But while Ronaldo's possible move back to Manchester might seem ideal in some parties' minds, it also may not be realistic. United are already paying Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba huge salaries, and the club appears more intent on bolstering its defense. Also, some of the same reports that linked Ronaldo to United also claimed he could end up at Paris-Saint Germain and Chelsea.

PSG might make sense for Ronaldo since he would be playing in a less competitive and physically demanding league than the Premier League. PSG also has the money to pay him, especially if they decide to sell Neymar. Spanish columnist Guillem Balague said on Sunday that Real Madrid may be willing to part ways with Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in order to land Neymar.

Meanwhile, a French publication, France Football, made the somewhat outlandish claim in February that they had read a text message from Ronaldo in 2012 that expressed interest in playing for PSG.

Chelsea, a club with deep pockets, could also be in the mix. The Sun reported in January that sources claimed Ronaldo would be “open to a move” to Stamford Bridge because Perez had denied him a pay raise that had been promised to him after winning the 2017 Champions League.

There might also be some thought that Ronaldo could go the David Beckham route and make the jump across the Atlantic to play in MLS. The burgeoning league would salivate at the idea of landing one of the all-time greats, while Ronaldo can finish his career without European media breathing down his neck. New York and Los Angeles both have two clubs, and Ronaldo may perhaps consider another city if the offer is right.

There's also another question to be answered: Does Real Madrid want to part ways with Ronaldo?

Ronaldo is 33 years old but can still command a huge transfer fee. Real Madrid may want to collect a big sum for an aging player to spend on the next superstar.

However, manager Zinedine Zidane has unequivocally stated that he wants to keep Ronaldo.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has to stay at Real Madrid," Zidane said after the Champions League final. "Cristiano Ronaldo will stay with Real Madrid, but we have to see. I think he is a Real player and we cannot describe what he has done in his career."

All of the Ronaldo chatter comes with the World Cup just 15 days away. Ronaldo is coming off a season in which he scored 44 goals in 44 matches for Real Madrid across all competitions but a strong showing by Portugal and Ronaldo in what is probably his last World Cup would be a great way to cap off a stellar year and add more drama to what could be an intriguing summer transfer period.