Real Madrid News
Florentino Perez rules out signing Ronaldo for Real Madrid: “He’s 38 years old”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future has been up in the air for several months. Though the new season has begun for Manchester United, the club do not have clarity on whether the player will play for them in the upcoming season.
Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has offered the striker’s services to several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid. Surprisingly, one club that has barely been linked with Ronaldo is his former team Real Madrid.
Earlier today, a fan asked Florentino Perez to sign the Portuguese star for the upcoming season. The club president gave the supporter a long stare before crushing his hopes with just one line.
“Again? He’s 38 years old.”
Fan: "Sign Cristiano"
— Hamza (@lapulgafreak) August 11, 2022
Florentino Perez: "Again? He's 38 years old" and walks away…
😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/TY4Oi9RjkD
Perez’s reaction is a short and clear response of the club’s view. Los Blancos have never advocated giving contracts to aged players, and return home for Ronaldo seems impossible at this point.
Despite being 37 years old, the striker scored 18 goals and provided three assists for the Red Devils in last season’s Premier League. He also maintained his evergreen UEFA Champions League form with six goals in just seven appearances.
The player is said to be disappointed with United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League this season. Ronaldo does not want to spend the final years of his career in the Europa League and is thus pushing for an exit.
The player played for Los Blancos between 2009 and 2018, winning four UEFA Champions League titles, two La Ligas and two Copa de Reys, amongst others. He is also the highest goalscorer in the club’s history, with 451 goals to his name.
One of the main objectives for Real Madrid this summer was to bring in a new central midfielder capable of controlling the tempo and dictating the play from the middle.
A move for Rodri was in the works before the Spain captain decided to sign for FC Barcelona. The Merengues assessed several other options, but ended up not signing any player, with Jose Mourinho deciding to use Bernardo Silva in the double pivot.
One of the midfielders that Real Madrid were looking at as an option was Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.
The England international has been on the club’s radar for a while now, but the Premier League club never opened the door for a summer departure.
Wharton could be on the market in 2027
However, now, according to The Guardian (h/t Bernabeu Digital), That stance could change next year, as that Palace would be prepared to consider selling Wharton during the next summer transfer window.
As mentioned already, Real Madrid have closely followed Wharton’s situation throughout the summer, although the club ultimately decided against making any further additions to their midfield.
Manchester City and Chelsea also showed serious interest in signing the England international during the summer. However, Crystal Palace were unwilling to sell, effectively ruling out a move for the midfielder.
But it appears that they could open the doors for Wharton to leave in the summer of 2027, potentially paving the way for Real Madrid to make a move.
Real Madrid continue to monitor Wharton
Real Madrid are expected to keep a close eye on Wharton’s progress ahead of the 2027 market. Should they decide they need another high-quality midfielder, the 22-year-old could once again emerge as a candidate.
Manchester City may be less likely to return for Wharton after strengthening their midfield significantly this summer.
Chelsea, however, could remain a potential competitor after failing to add a player in the position during the latest window.
For now, Wharton will remain at Crystal Palace, but the club’s willingness to consider a sale next summer means the midfielder could become a realistic option for Real Madrid in 2027.
