Five possible destinations for Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United exit

Cristiano Ronaldo has been released by Manchester United following his controversial TV interview.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five possible destinations for the free agent.

Chelsea

While it never got beyond initial conversations over the summer, Chelsea sounded Ronaldo out about a potential switch that the Portugal ace was reportedly open to.

Former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel was not thought to be keen on the switch but he is long gone and with successor Graham Potter suffering a rocky start at Stamford Bridge, the idea could once again appeal to Todd Boehly’s ownership group.

Money should not be a major stumbling block and if the opportunity arose, the chance to end his Premier League journey on a high could be irresistible.

Sporting

Ronaldo became a global star during his first period with United but it was Sporting that helped cultivate his early talent.

The forward has regularly been linked with a return to the club he left aged 18 and retains a strong connection with the Primeira Liga side, who have a section dedicated to him in their museum and renamed their academy training facilities after him.

The player’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, has previously said she wants to eventually see him back playing for the Lisbon club.

Roma

Dropping into the Europa League may not be Ronaldo’s first preference and Roma’s current league position of seventh means a league trophy looks a long shot.

But the presence of compatriot Jose Mourinho in the dugout could be intriguing. The pair enjoyed great success together at Real Madrid, harbour similar frustrations about their treatment by United and may decide to put their star power together in one last roll of the dice.

Saudi Arabia

When Ronaldo last appeared to be on the way out of