Journalist Nicolo Schira has revealed that Manchester United have asked Jorge Mendes for information on Cristiano Ronaldo.
What's the latest news on Cristiano Ronaldo?
The Italian reporter has recently shared that a potential United return could be on the cards for Ronaldo, while Paul Pogba could move in the opposite direction.
"Confirmed what I anticipated last April 14: Manchester United have asked Jorge Mendes for info on Cristiano Ronaldo's return," Schira shared on social media.
"Man United are looking at Ronaldo's situation with Juventus: his contract expires in 2022 (€31M). The date in which expires Paul Pogba's contract. Possible swap?"
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How has Ronaldo performed this season?
Despite being 36 years old, the Portuguese forward is showing no signs of slowing down.
According to WhoScored, the former Red Devil has scored 32 goals across all competitions for Juventus this season and has been simply outstanding for the Bianconeri.
For his performances this season, Ronaldo has earned a WhoScored average rating of 7.68. This is the highest score out of any player in Serie A.
Ronaldo has morphed into an out-and-out striker in his later years rather than the tricky winger we saw in the Premier League. This is reflected in his statistics, as he takes an average of 5.3 shots per game and has predominantly featured as a centre forward.
Is a swap deal likely?
Even though Ronaldo's contract is due to expire next summer, the Red Devils would be making a huge financial commitment by signing the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
The Juventus forward is currently earning an eye-watering £1m a week at the Italian club and United may need to make an offer within a similar region to bring Ronaldo to Old Trafford.
However, the potential departure of Pogba would open up some room financially. The Frenchman's contract is also due to expire in June 2022 and agent Mino Raiola has previously stated he should leave the club.
Pogba's representative claimed that the midfielder is unhappy at United and should leave in the summer transfer window.
Alluding to Schira's point, with the uncertainty surrounding the former Juve man's future, a swap deal could well be a possibility, although it must be said that such deals are generally much rarer than the amount of reports suggesting them.
Is this a good move for United?
Although it would be great to see Ronaldo back in the Premier League, you can't help but feel that this might not be the right move for United.
It would be great signing to boost shirt sales and the Red Devils would be getting a player with fantastic experience - Ronaldo has 18 major trophies under his belt. However, the likely finances involved would be slightly concerning.
Even if Ronaldo took a 50% pay cut, he would still be United's highest-paid player by £150,000 a week. It seems too much of a risk to offer a monstrous contract to a player who only has a few more years left at the elite level. In addition to this, the Premier League is more competitive and physically demanding than Serie A.
On this occasion, United should decide against bringing Ronaldo to Old Trafford.