Sporting Lisbon chief insists move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo ‘never existed’ despite talk of wantaway Manchester United striker’s return to boyhood club in fresh blow for Portuguese star
Sporting president Frederico Varandas denied rumours that the club’s manager Ruben Amorim ‘vetoed’ a move for Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming that no such conversation ever happened.
The Lions had been linked with a move for their academy graduate, but with suggestions circulating that the Portuguese side had rejected the 37-year-old Varandas insisted a move was never ‘on the table’.
Having failed to find a move over the summer, Ronaldo appears to have burned his bridges with Manchester United after his now infamous explosive tell-all interview with Piers Morgan, and it would seem he has now been handed a fresh blow.
Frederico Varandas claimed that a move for Cristiano Ronaldo was never even ‘on the table’
‘He will always be the reference of Sporting’s academy and the best Portuguese player ever,’ said Sporting president Varandas to RTP3. ‘There are several ways to be at Sporting stadium.
‘Now, I’m not going to make noise. If Amorim vetoed the return? Of course not. It was never even a topic or was on the table.
‘There was never a conversation with me, with Hugo Viana or Rúben Amorim. This topic never existed. I know it sells a lot in the press.’
The Manchester United forward’s interview has left many convinced his time at the club is up
The 37-year-old first cropped up on the European scene after becoming the first player in the club’s history to play in each of Sporting’s U-16, U-17, U-19, B-team and first teams in the space of one season.
Ronaldo became the first player to feature for each of Sporting’s youth teams in one season
But despite an unprecedented career, including five Ballon d’Or wins to his name, Ronaldo has now reached the point of no return at United, after his outlandish interview in which he insisted he was ‘betrayed’ by the Red Devils.
As a result, his immediate future is the hot topic of discussion in the football world, with the widely-held consensus being that his prodigal return to United is now over.
He has since been linked with moves to several clubs aside from his…