Ronaldo happy to swap places with Neymar
Cristiano Ronaldo is apparently happy to swap spots with Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
With Real Madrid now wanting Neymar to replace Ronaldo following the teams poor start to the season they are trying to figure out ways to fund what would again surely be one of the most expensive deals in the history of football. Neymar is one of the few players capable of perhaps replacing the gargantuan figure that is Real Madrid’s record scorer at the Bernabeau and so the move does work from Real Madrid’s perspective.
Paris though should balk at the idea of this unless the figures are almost twice as absurd as Neymar’s original transfer to France. Neymar is younger and on the upswing in his career. Ronaldo is finally showing his age. Despite the fact that he won his 5th Ballon D’Or only last week the Portuguese superstar is the sort of player that Paris used to sign, not that they currently do.
Part of the point of the Neymar transfer was for Paris to announce themselves to the football world as a new superpower. That is what made the fee, though excessive, more palatable. It was about more than football. It was about status. To climb down so soon in exchange for a famous and yet aging player would be embarrassing.
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What Paris should do is simply buy Ronaldo.
Though the Cavani and Neymar Jr partnership has provided goals galore for Paris they won’t be able to coexist. It simply isn’t working. Two times now they have fought about penalties and it’s provided an embarrassing spectacle for the club. If Paris can fashion some sort of Cavani and cash for Ronaldo sale that would be the perfect scenario. That though is unlikely. Paris should try to move Cavani for 40-50 million euros and then simply purchase Ronaldo.
Ronaldo is the model professional that Neymar should learn from. Ronaldo doesn’t drink, he spends every day training to be a better professional, he has a family and keeps his mother near by for advice and council constantly.
Oddly though often disliked because of his attitude on the field Ronaldo could not be more of a model professional and human. Neymar is one of the few people ever born with the same God-given talent that Ronaldo has but doesn’t have his work ethic. If Paris can buy Ronaldo simply for the knowledge and mentorship he will provide Neymar with then it will be worth it.
Next: Ronaldo's grit is as valuable as Messi's talent
It was an open secret when Neymar arrived at Barcelona that the player he admired more in world football was Ronaldo over Messi. If Paris can unite Neymar with one of his idols then it will be worth more than almost any money they can spend.