English Premier League side, Chelsea have emerged as the favored side to coax Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo from an almost certain exit from league rivals, Manchester United in the January transfer window, after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan outlined the veteran’s problem with the club, manager, Erik ten Hag, and executives. 

Ronaldo, who has since left the Old Trafford side to link up with his Portugal national side teammates ahead of next week’s FIFA World Cup return, featured in a sitdown with the aforenoted News of the World alum, Morgan, in a scatching interview, trashing United, current boss, ten Hag, as well as the seemingly dated infrastructure at the club. 

The recent explosive interview falls on the back of a series of disappointing performances for the side this season under ten Hag, with Ronaldo infamously demoted from senior team training after he refused to make a substitute appearance in a win over Tottenham Hotspur back in October. 

Handed the captaincy for a visit to Villa Park in the absence of Portuguese teammate, Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo’s most recent, and likely last outing for the Red Devils came in that 3-1 defeat, with the 37-year-old left out of the matchday squad for wins over Aston Villa and then a visit to Fulham. 

Following the emergence of Ronaldo’s incendiary interview with Morgan, odds have been slashed on his exit from Old Trafford in either the form of a contract termination, or a January move. 

In what appears to be the bet of the day football, Chelsea are backed to pursue a move to the serial UEFA Champions League victor, Ronaldo in the January transfer window, with the Graham Potter side available as short as 4/1 to land the Portuguese native. You can bet on Ronaldo’s future over at Vulkanbet Sports betting. 

A return to boyhood club, Sporting Lisbon is also a potential next destination for Ronaldo, with the capital side available even shorter at 3/1 to resign the former before February 3. 

Linked with a potential move to the aforenoted Chelsea, as well as Napoli and Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window to boot, the Italian side are currently priced as high as 12/1 to sign Ronaldo, while Diego Simeone’s side, who have fallen into the UEFA Europa League, are available at 25/1.

Bookmakers also see a potential return to Real Madrid as arguably the longest shot for Ronaldo, with a Santiago Bernabeu comeback priced as high as 50/1 on most markets. 

Away from club football, Ronaldo is set to lead EURO 2016 winners, Portugal into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar next week, featuring in a group alongside Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea. 

With Brazil current betting favorites to land the Coupe du Monde come December, Portugal, who featured three Manchester United players in the form of Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, and of course, Ronaldo, are sitting as severe outsiders to land their first FIFA World Cup – at 14/1.

Reunited with the Old Trafford faithful last season following gold-laden spells at Real Madrid, and then a tenure with Italian giants, Juventus, Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly far from flavor of the month amongst Manchester United fans – as many call for his exit from the side.

Guiding the faltering Manchester side to a 5th place finish in last season’s Premier League campaign, Ronaldo would find the net on 24 separate occasions for the time – including 18 times in the league.

However, a year later, the 37-year-old star has scored just twice under 12 games since the summer appointment of Dutch tactician, Erik ten Hag. 

Linked with a move from the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, potential moves to the likes of Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, Napoli, and Athletico Madrid failed to materialise for the Portugal captain, as his place in a new, free-flowing and fluid front three under ten Hag was cast into doubt.

Missing a pre-season tour with United due to “personal family reasons”, Ronaldo’s place in the side was further put in jeopardy amid the form of French striker, Anthony Martial, as well as the signing of Brazilian starlet, Antony – who has already netted three times in five Premier League starts.

And earlier this week, tension between Ronaldo and former Ajax gold winner, ten Hag reached boiling point, with the former marching down the Old Trafford tunnel with just minutes remaining in United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Refusing to make a substitute appearance in the final minutes, Ronaldo was removed from the travelling side to take on Chelsea this weekend, demoted from first team training, and reportedly fined two weeks’ wages. With the recent complications with Ronaldo’s situation, Fuksiarz are offering decent odds on a departure from United in the January transfer window. 

Rescuing a one-all draw with Graham Potter’s Chelsea side courtesy of a late header from Brazilian midfielder, Casemiro on Saturday, ten Hag featured a front three containing Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and the above-mentioned, Antony – as part of a fluid interchanging spearhead. 

Netting just once in the league this season, Ronaldo scored a remarkable 700th career goal at Goodison Park against Everton, replacing an injured Anthony Martial in the opening half.

Played through by Casemiro, Ronaldo, playing on the shoulder of the last defender, held the line and slotted past Jordan Pickford with an expert left foot finish. 

Receiving shrewd defense from former Manchester United captain and treble winner, Cork native, Roy Keane, Ronaldo has been revered for his goal-scoring prowess, and rightly so, however, in the modern era, and at the age of 37 amongst a fluid, interchanging front three – the Portugal favorite appears on the cusp of an era as a ‘super sub’ at the highest level.

If the Euro Championships victor and serial UEFA Champions League winner refuses to play a bit-part role in a United rebuild under ten Hag, it appears all but certain he’ll jet off on a permanent basis in January post-World Cup in Qatar – drawing an end to what promised to be a ceremonious red reunion.

Ronaldo, who began his second career spell at United in an end-of-window move from Italian giants Juventus last summer, enjoyed an impressive individual campaign for the Reds last season, netting 24 goals in all competitions as the focal point of both Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, Michael Carrick, and Ralf Rangnick’s sides. 

However, with the appointment of Dutch mastermind and tactician, ten Hag, the five-time FIFA Ballon D’or winner reportedly attempted to orchestrate a move away from Old Trafford earlier this summer, with minutes within a high-pressing, fluid system seemingly far from guaranteed.

Failing to attend United’s pre-season tour ahead of this year’s campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo was consistently linked to potential moves to the likes of Atletico Madrid, London rivals, Chelsea, as well as a return to Sporting Lisbon, and a move back to Italy with Napoli. 

A potential, and granted, realistic landing for the former Real Madrid forward and serial Champions League winner comes in the form of former side, Sporting Libson, with the capital side available as short as 6/1 to capture Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window, with betting available on the Portugal forward’s next move at best $15 deposit casinos in Australia. 

As for ten Hag, the former Ajax leader has continually insisted that a player of Ronaldo’s quality and expertise within the area will prove pivotal for his side this season, however, the Dutchman has elected to field front three’s consisting of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Elanga, Jadon Sancho, and on occasion, Anthony Martial this season so far, in place of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese veteran is widely expected to retain his place in his country’s World Cup side this winter in Qatar, however, with the recent acquisition of Brazilian forward, Antony, the future for Ronaldo in more than just a bit-part role for United this campaign has been cast into further doubt.

Netting for the first time this season last week in Moldova, Ronaldo scored from the spot against Sherrif in an eventual 2-0 win for United, after the above-mentioned, Sancho turned home from inside the area in the first half. 

Cristiano Ronaldo retains just a single year on his United contract

Cristiano Ronaldo currently retains a year on his current United contract, while the club have the option to extend that deal by another year, however, the 37-year-old’s quest to extend his lead atop the UEFA Champions league top goalscorer charts has been discussed as the catalyst for his attempt to leave the club. 

Despite last season’s fairytale return to United for Cristiano Ronaldo – when it appeared an impossible move to neighboring rivals, Manchester City seemed on the cards, a wholly different approach and an energetic style of pressing and fluid movement across a 4-3-3 for the Reds as part of a much-needed rebuild, appears to leave one of the sport’s greatest ever out in the cold as his expected final World Cup campaign approaches.