Cristiano Ronaldo future: Real Madrid forward cannot rule out joining one of Manchester United's rivals or Barcelona

While the Real Madrid superstar stressed that any move would be 'very complicated', he added that such a transfer can never be ruled impossible

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that a move to either Barcelona or one of Manchester United’s Premier league rivals cannot be completely ruled out, though he accepted it would be difficult given his ties with his previous clubs.

Ronaldo’s Real Madrid future has been a subject of heated debate this season, with suggestions that club president Florentino Perez could do the unthinkable and sell the Portuguese to trigger an era of rebuilding at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Both United and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Ronaldo should he be made available in the summer, and his latest quotes have only fuelled talk of a move as he openly discussed a transfer away from the Spanish club.

Ronaldo told the Associated Press on Thursday: “It’s a little more difficult, but …,” before pausing to consider whether he could join Barcelona or one of United’s rivals.

“There are things that you kind of already have an idea, that to play one day for Barcelona would be almost impossible, or to play for another English club other than Manchester, it’s very complicated. But that’s not 100% guaranteed. As I said before, there are no certainties in football.”

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City would certainly be able to fund a move for the three-time Ballon d’Or winner, and he has done his best to stoke the fires over his future by admitting anything is possible when it comes to his next move.

“Everything is open, all leagues,” he said. “I may end my career here with Real Madrid. I’m just being honest. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. If I was 75% certain, I would say so, it wouldn’t be a problem. But I have no idea.”

Ronaldo also added that he is prepared to end his Real career should the decision come to move him on, although with two years remaining on his contract at the end of this season, he stressed that he has nothing to worry about.

“When it’s closer to ending my contract I’m going to have to make decisions, whether it’s staying at Real Madrid or going to another club or ending my career in a few years,” the 30-year-old Ronaldo said.

“It’s normal. That’s why I’m not worried, because I know that everything has a beginning and everything has an end. I’m ready for that. I’m ready to stay at Real Madrid, to leave, to end my career when it’s time. It’s part of my job.”

Ronaldo has previously spoken of his desire to end his career while he is still playing at the top of his game, something which is likely to see him retire before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He also spoke of his preference not to move to a club playing in a league of lower stature such as the MLS or in the Middle East, although yesterday he explained that while that is the case now, he could always change his mind in the future.

“These are always difficult questions to answer because we never know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Ronaldo added. “And as a football professional, this is always an unknown, so I prefer to stay in the present. The present is good and I’m enjoying being at Real Madrid. But in a few years I don’t know how I’m going to be thinking.”