MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th August, 2020) Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes offered his superstar client to a host of top clubs, including former rivals Barcelona, a prominent football journalist said on Thursday.
According to Guillem Balague, Ronaldo's current club Juventus are looking to reduce their mammoth wage bill after seeing incomes shrink due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a podcast appearance on BBC Sport, Balague said that Mendes has made contacts with all of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and some North American Major League Soccer sides for a potential transfer of the five-time Ballon D'Or winner.
Spanish football news outlet AS reported that Ronaldo's inner circle says he is happy in Turin and has no intention of leaving Juventus, where his contract runs until 2022.
A major sticking point is Ronaldo's astronomical wage demands, with Juventus shelling out 23 million Euros ($27.2 million) annually. This leaves a small number of clubs with the financial capability of acquiring Ronaldo's services.
Ronaldo's career has been highlighted by a personal rivalry with Barcelona ace Lionel Messi, competing for trophies and personal accolades at the top of the game. During his stint in Real Madrid 2009-2018, Ronaldo embodied the Madrid's antagonism with the Catalonian club and remained neck-and-neck with the Argentinian.
