Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has effectively ruled out any possibility of making a bid for Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Throughout the summer transfer season, Ronaldo was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford, only for the veteran to fail to garner enough interest or for United to be convinced to part ways.
The 37-year-old has since suffered a disappointing start to the season, making twice as many starts in the Europa League as he has in the Premier League.
Ronaldo made his second start of the season against Newcastle on Sunday afternoon, as the two sides drew 0-0.
The Portugal international struck a frustrated figure as he was taken from the action with 18 minutes remaining, casting further doubt on his future.
With Ronaldo seemingly lacking options among elite European clubs, Newcastle’s financial muscle will instantly promote them as a viable alternative.
However, Howe has made it clear that the Magpies are not looking for players towards the conclusion of their careers at the highest level.
See Also: Liverpool’s Diogo Jota Could Miss World Cup Due To Calf Injury
Howe told reporters, as reported by 90min,: “We’re trying to provide long-term growth, we’ve got a longer-term vision.
“At the moment, we have quite an ageing squad, so we need to invest more in young players. That’s probably a big part of our progression, we need to get the average age down.
“So, it might not be a signing that we would necessarily look to make, but that’s not under-estimating the quality of the player.”
Despite his appearance in the starting lineup over the weekend, it is widely assumed that Ronaldo is now behind Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the pecking order.
COMMENTS