Ancelotti Denies Ronaldo to Real Madrid Rumors: 'I Never Considered Signing Him'

If there were any hopes that Cristiano Ronaldo would return to Real Madrid this summer, they were put to bed by Real manager Carlo Ancelotti on Tuesday. 

Rumors have swirled this summer regarding the Portuguese star's future, with Ronaldo reportedly interested in leaving Juventus. However, Ancelotti said there's no truth to the reports in Spain suggesting that Real Madrid is looking to secure Ronaldo's return to the Bernabeu. 

"Cristiano Ronaldo is a Real Madrid legend and he has all my affection and respect," Ancelotti tweeted Tuesday. "I never considered signing him. We look forward."

The duo enjoyed some success in Ancelotti's first stint at Real from 2013 to 2015, winning the club's 10th Champions League trophy in 2014 along with the Copa del Rey and FIFA Club World Cup. Ronaldo won two straight Ballon d'Or awards under Ancelotti and enjoyed a career-high 61-goal season in 2014-15. However, they failed to win La Liga in Ancelotti's two years at the club before the Italian manager was sacked. 

Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus in the summer of 2018 in a €100 million transfer. The forward won the league title in his first two seasons and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2019 and 2020. 

With Real Madrid out the picture this summer and PSG making a bombshell move for Lionel Messi, Ronaldo is running out of options if he hopes to move before the transfer window closes Aug. 31. 

Ronaldo later posted a stark denial of the rumors on Instagram where he was " breaking my silence now to say that I can’t allow people to keep playing around with my name."

"More than the disrespect for me as a man and as a player, the frivolous way that my future is covered in the media is disrespectful to all the clubs involved in these rumours, as well as to their players and staff," Ronaldo wrote. 

The forward, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, will turn 37 in February and would likely come with massive wage demands in any potential move. Sky Sports reported on Tuesday that Juventus has not received any offers for Ronaldo this summer.