Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly urged Juventus to sign Manchester United target Raul Jimenez this summer, according to reports.
The Mexican international has been in sumptuous form this year for a high-flying Wolves side, having notched up 27 goals across all competitions. He has been in high demand this summer after a stellar season where he impressed not only with his goalscoring, but his all-round displays in the final third.
With both Manchester United and Juventus reportedly in the market for attacking reinforcements, their paths could cross in their pursuit of Jimenez.
Cristiano Ronaldo wants Manchester United target Jimenez at Juventus
As per Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Cristiano Ronaldo is pushing for Juventus to sign Jimenez over Manchester United.
Portuguese outlet RTP claimed that the 29-year-old was 'on his way' to Manchester United after a deal was agreed, and further stated that Wolves have a replacement lined up as well. Nuno Espirito Santo's men are widely expected to trigger the release clause of Braga frontman Paulinho, who impressed profoundly in Liga NOS this term.
Juventus, on the other hand, are set to oversee a squad overhaul under new manager Andrea Pirlo. The Italian is set to sanction departures of several squad players, including that of €90m man Gonzalo Higuain.
Should the Argentine leave, which appears the most likely scenario, Juventus will be light on attacking personnel, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo as the only reliable centre-forward.
Jimenez fits the bill for both clubs due to his ability to bring others into play while being able to dominate opposing players physically. His powerful physique combined with an elegant control over the ball is a rare combination, once that can be beneficial to some of Europe's best clubs.
Manchester United's fleet-footed forwards Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, have all been in fine form this year, scoring over 60 goals between them. However, their deputy at centre-forward Odion Ighalo is set to depart the club in the winter window of the coming season, due to which Manchester United will have to find a replacement for him.
Another aspect to be considered is Manchester United's and Juventus' participation in the UEFA Champions League next year, which could potentially make a move to either club a selling point.
This, combined with Wolves' failure to achieve either UCL or Europa League football for next season, could make Jimenez — who turned 29 in May — weigh up his options. His current deal at the Molineux keeps him at the club until the summer of 2023.
However, it remains to be seen if either Manchester United or Juventus can match Wolves' reported £90m asking price for the Mexican.
Also read: Manchester United vs Sevilla: 5 Key battles to watch out for | UEFA Europa League 2019-20