Cristiano Ronaldo flew home from Russia and the World Cup on Monday, but he didn't stay out of the headlines for long, as evidenced by the massive headlines Tuesday linking him with a move to Juventus.
As with all things involving Cristiano and Real Madrid, nothing is quite straightforward. Here's an attempt to make sense of it.
Q: So Juventus have made an offer, have they?
A: Easy there. Juventus haven't confirmed anything, and it's worth noting who pushed this story initially: Marca, the Madrid-based paper close to Real Madrid, and A Bola, the Portuguese daily.
Q: Why is that relevant?
A: Well, they come out at the same time with the same story, and Ronaldo happens to be Portuguese. So is his agent, Jorge Mendes, who also happens to look after (together with Carlos Bucero) the new Real boss, Julen Lopetegui. They might or might not be the source of the story, but it's pretty obvious that the story serves their interests. It serves Real Madrid's interests too.
Q: How so?
A: For a start, it's always nice to be wanted if you're Ronaldo and to have your prize asset coveted by others if you're Madrid. Beyond that, both Mendes and Madrid benefit, each in different ways. Ronaldo, you'll recall, talked about moving on from the Bernabeu just minutes after the Champions League final, despite the fact that he has a contract through 2021. It might be that he really wants to go or, more likely, that he'd like a new deal, especially given that both Neymar and Lionel Messi earn substantially more than he does.
Or, and I think this is just as important to him, a clear sense of what the future holds of him at Real Madrid. There's a new manager, there's likely going to be a rebuild, folks coming and going ... where does he fit? An offer on the table -- real or not -- gives him some leverage.
