Cristiano Ronaldo could head back to Italy this summer following reports that Napoli are interested in a sensational move for the Manchester United striker.
The Portuguese has asked the Old Trafford club to let him leave this summer if he is offered the chance to play Champions League football elsewhere.
United slumped to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season and will compete in the Europa League next term.
That isn’t an attractive proposition to the 37-year-old, who is the all-time top scorer in the Champions League and has played in 19 consecutive campaigns in Europe’s elite competition.
Ronaldo believes he can compete at the very top level for another “three or four years”, and the question is now who is interested and who can afford a deal.
According to the Athletic, one potential destination is a shock return to Serie A with Napoli.
Luciano Spalletti led the Partenopei to a third-place finish last season, earning his side an automatic group stage place in the Champions League for 2022/23.
They were in the title race until a late-season collapse in April, when Napoli picked up one point from three games against Fiorentina, Roma and Empoli to drop out of the running.
It would be a remarkable move for Ronaldo, who played for Napoli’s fierce rivals Juventus for three years between 2018 and 2021, winning two league titles.
Victor Osimhen currently leads the line for Spalletti’s side, but the Nigeria international has been the subject of much transfer speculation this summer.
The report adds that Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly discussed the potential signing of Ronaldo with his agent Jorge Mendes last week, while Bayern Munich have been informed of his situation.
PSG aren’t interested in a deal, though, despite their penchant for big-name signings.
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