Transfer Centre

Flamengo president rubbishes links with Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 04 November 2022

Flamengo president rubbishes Cristiano Ronaldo links

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will not be moving to Flamengo in January, according to the Brazilian club's president Rodolfo Landim.

Flamengo president Rodolfo Landim has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo could move to the Brazilian giants.

Since it first emerged that the Portuguese superstar was open to leaving Old Trafford in July, there has been constant speculation regarding the player's future.

The 37-year-old's preference is to remain in Europe with a Champions League club, but it has appeared that there are minimal realistic opportunities available to the veteran.

That has led to talk of a switch to a different continent with Flamengo being linked with an approach for Ronaldo over the coming weeks.

However, Landim has moved swiftly to reject those claims, insisting that Ronaldo would only earn a spot on the team's substitutes' bench if he was to be signed by the newly-crowned Copa Libertadores champions.

Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Manchester United on October 13, 2022 © Reuters

Speaking to the Papo Reto podcast, as reported by Record, Landim said: "I don't know where it came from but they have a lot of creativity. First of all, I ask: For whose place? It's to be on the bench.

"From what I've read on the internet, I don't know if it's true or not, he would have been offered $242m [£215m] for a two-year contract. Divided by 24 months, that's about $10m a month.

"Talk about a value far above the entire salary sheet of Flamengo for Cristiano Ronaldo. To be Pedro or Gabigol's (Gabriel Barbosa) substitute? I can't, nobody here is going to go crazy things."

While Flamengo are currently scrapping to finish in the top four of the Brasileiro table, their first-choice frontmen have had little issue scoring goals in the top flight.

Gabriel Barbosa in action for Flamengo on September 18, 2022 © Reuters

Pedro and Barbosa have both chipped in with 11 goals apiece, the former from just 1168 minutes of league football, and Pedro also netted a remarkable nine times during their Copa Libertadores triumph.

In sharp contrast, Ronaldo has contributed just three goals and two assists from his nine starts and six substitute outings this campaign.

However, Ronaldo has completed the 90 minutes in his last three appearances, providing the assist for Alejandro Garnacho to net the only strike of the game against Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Ronaldo's contract is due to expire at the end of 2022-23, although it remains to be seen whether a proposal will emerge in January which suits all parties.