Ronaldo linked to shock move to French side Marseille

DUBAI: Conflicting media reports linking Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo to European clubs on Friday continued to surface with the latest relating him to France’s Ligue 1 side Marseille. European media have suggested that last season’s second-place league finishers Marseille have been conducting a financial study to determine what Ronaldo could bring to the French club.

Former Marseille player Jean-Charles De Bono said: “A study is being carried out to find out what Ronaldo could bring to the club financially.” Mail Online said Liverpool’s ex-striker Djibril Cisse took to social media in a bid to lure Ronaldo to Marseille for the current season. However, Sports Brief reported Marseille President Pablo Longoria as vehemently denying rumors that his club was looking to sign the Portuguese forward.

With the 37-year-old star reportedly keen to leave the English Premier League to join a Champions League-playing football club, Ronaldo has been linked with several top-tier teams including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, and Chelsea. If a deal goes through ahead of the summer transfer market’s deadline on Sept.

1, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would fulfil his wish to play this year’s Champions League competition with Marseille against his former club Sporting Lisbon in the group stage. In a tweet on Wednesday, Cisse said: “Cristiano come my friend I will look after you.” Germany’s Bild reported that any transfer for the player would bring with it a massive increase in sponsorship deals and TV viewership.