Man Utd Hand Chelsea Cristiano Ronaldo Blow After Transfer Stance Revealed

Manchester United would prefer not to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to join Chelsea this summer due to the Blues being a direct rival for Champions League football next season, according to reports.

Ronaldo, 37, has expressed his desire to leave Old Trafford this summer after Man United missed out on Champions League qualification last season, ending up in the Europa League for the 2022/23 season. 

He has not returned to their Carrington training ground as of yet for the start of pre-season due to family reasons.

United have accepted those reasons and the circumstances, but they remain unsure if he will fly to Thailand with the rest of the squad later this week. 

Ronaldo wants a new challenge, to play at the highest level for a couple more years at least at the end of his career, and interest has been gauged by his agent Jorge Mendes. 

A meeting was held with Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly last month, Ronaldo was brought up, and he is now considering a bid.

However, the final decision will be down to head coach Thomas Tuchel, who will offer his say on whether or not Ronaldo would fit into his plans for the squad. 

Ronaldo is claimed to be ready to take a considerable pay cut despite having a 25 percent pay cut due to United not qualifying for the Champions League - a clause inserted in all of the players’ contracts. 

The Blues have been ‘offered the chance’ to sign the 37-year-old through intermediaries.

United insist the Portuguese star is not for sale this summer, with his contract due to expire next summer following his arrival last summer.  

And the reason for Erik ten Hag’s side not wanting to let Ronaldo make the move down south amid links to Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain has now been revealed by ESPN. 

They would be prepared to sell him to a club outside of the Premier League if a suitable offer came in, but Chelsea would be seen as an ‘unpalatable’ destination. 

This is because United want to qualify for the 2023-24 Champions League and see Chelsea as a direct competitor for a top four spot in the Premier League. 

Tuchel is an admirer of Ronaldo but it remains to be seen if he would want the forward in his side. 

Raheem Sterling is an attacker the Blues head coach wants though, with Chelsea in talks with Manchester City over a transfer that is hoped to be agreed this week before they head out to the United States for pre-season.

Talks continue for other targets continue, including Nathan Ake and Matthijs de Ligt, and Chelsea want to get one over the line before the end of the week.