Transfer: Man United’s ex-coach warns Tuchel not to sign Ronaldo
Former Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, has reportedly told Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, not to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was very close to agreeing on a deal with Chelsea to stay in the Premier League and also have the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League. His agent, Jorge Mendes, offered him to Chelsea after holding a discussion with the Blues co-owner Todd Boehly a few days ago. Ronaldo’s signing, however, ended up being barred by coach Tuchel. According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Tuchel’s decision was taken after a conversation with Rangnick, who coached Ronaldo last season at Old Trafford. Rangnick, who is currently the coach of the Austria national team, would have given negative references to Ronaldo for Tuchel, convincing the former Paris Saint-Germain manager to bar the hiring of the Portugal captain. Tuchel has a lot of admiration for Rangnick, who was the one who gave him the opportunity to coach Stuttgart’s youth teams and consequently start his coaching career. With Rangnick as a reference, Tuchel preferred to position himself against the deal with Ronaldo. Meanwhile, Chelsea has already signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and is expected to make more signings this summer.
Thomas Tuchel refuses to rule out signing Cristiano Ronaldo for Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea have arrived in America for their pre-season tour (Picture: Getty) Thomas Tuchel insists Chelsea are not averse to signing another striker amid speculation his club are readying a bid to sign Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Chelsea kickstarted their summer spending in earnest on Wednesday after confirming the arrival of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City. The England international’s versatility will represent a major asset for Tuchel who may opt not to sign a direct replacement for Romelu Lukaku who has returned to Inter on loan after a nightmare 12 months at Stamford Bridge. Tuchel employed Kai Havertz in a central striking role last season and is set to surround the Germany international with a clutch of mobile forwards who are capable of playing all across the front line. Ronaldo’s shock decision to quit United just a year after his emotional homecoming has provided Chelsea and new owner Todd Boehly with an opportunity to land a marquee signing and a cast-iron guarantee of goals. Boehly held talks with Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes last month where the topic of the wantaway 37-year-old came up. United publicly insist last season’s 24-goal top scorer isn’t for sale but privately would accept an offer in the region of £14million from a club outside the Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo wants to quit Manchester United this summer (Picture: Getty) His decision to swerve United’s pre-season tour has, however, cast a shadow over the start of Erik ten Hag’s tenure and a swift resolution is being sought. Tuchel, meanwhile, has refused to rule out the prospect of signing the former Real Madrid striker when asked directly about the prospect of recruiting the five-times Ballon d’Or winner, but insists Chelsea’s transfer priorities lie elsewhere. ‘I would not rule out signing another striker, but it’s not our priority,’ said the Chelsea boss.