By Efosa Taiwo

Napoli have shut the door on any possibility of signing Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.

Ronaldo has been bent on leaving the Old Trafford in search of Champions League football with the Italian club Napoli among the teams linked to the five-time world footballer of the year.

The Naple side, according to report, had hoped United would get striker Victor Osimhen so as to free up their forward line and also raise some money to pay the hefty wages of the Portuguese.

“Mendes has given up. Or so it seems,” Il Mattino says.

“The last attempt failed. Naples is not there: they don’t even consider the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo’s free loan without the departure of Osimhen.

“Yesterday morning the Portuguese agent noted that Manchester United, after the €100 million spent on Antony, does not intend to make offers to the blue club for the Nigerian striker.

“And so, for Napoli, the suggestion of the end of August ends exactly as it began. De Laurentiis has categorically stated: the doors to Cristiano are practically barred.

“The free loan option was linked exclusively to the sale of Osimhen for 140-150 million euros: this was the condition sine qua non to bring the Portuguese Star to Naples.”

Ronaldo would now have to look elsewhere if he wants to actualize his dream to play in the UCL this season, and he has less than 24 hours to do that as the transfer window closes September 1.