Deal Close – Man Utd at centre of €120m ‘counter-proposal’ involving Ronaldo as agent had ‘desperate plan’

According to reports, Napoli made a cheeky ‘counter-proposal’ to Manchester United during the summer as they attempted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo on loan.

During the summer transfer window, Ronaldo generated quite a commotion. He was displeased after his outstanding single exploits last season failed to propel Manchester United to a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Last season, the striker and David De Gea were two of their better displays in what was otherwise a dreadful season for the Red Devils.

In recent years, the 37-year-old has saved his finest efforts for Champions League games, demonstrating how important that competition is to him.

So much so that he considered leaving United in the summer to play for a team playing in the Champions League.

Chelsea was one of the first clubs to be connected with him, but the London club immediately dropped out of the running.

Ronaldo did not have many options because few clubs expressed an interest in signing him.

Napoli were in the running late in the transfer window, with a loan move featuring Nigeria international Victor Osimhen being considered.

Earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano revealed United’s efforts to sign Osimhen:

“I’ve heard a lot about Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is a very talented striker and a very significant player,” Romano wrote for Caught Offside.

“From what I gather, the only chance to sign him was near the end of the summer, but they decided to prioritize Antony.”

“At the present, Napoli has no intention of selling Osimhen in January.” They’re having a fantastic season, and Osimhen is a significant reason for that.

“They’ve always stated it would need more than €100 million, so it won’t be simple to persuade Napoli to sell in January.”

Osimhen’s contract is set to expire in 2025, and he has been valued at roughly €100 million during the summer.

This seems excessive for a striker who only scored 14 goals in Serie A last season. So it’s no surprise that he’s still in Napoli.

According to Sky Sports (via Sport Witness), Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, spearheaded a “desperate plan” to lure Ronaldo away from Manchester United.

The athlete wanted to move to a Champions League team “at any cost,” and he was offered to AC Milan, who turned him down.

However, according to the report, Napoli was more amenable because conversations had been ongoing “for several days.”

According to reports, Mendes’ initial idea was for Manchester United to sign Osimhen for €100 million, with Ronaldo moving the opposite way on loan.

According to the report, Napoli’s ‘counter-proposal’ was for United to pay €120 million for Osimhen and for the English club to pay Ronaldo’s entire salary throughout the loan period.

As the meetings came to a conclusion, Manchester United presumably instructed Napoli to f*** off.