Australian Professional Leagues (APL) CEO Danny Townsend has admitted they have opened dialogue with Cristiano Ronaldo's representatives about a possible move to the A-League Men.
Ronaldo sparked controversy this week by slamming current club Manchester United in an interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old has been eager to leave Old Trafford in recent months and an exit from the Red Devils now looks certain after the 2022 World Cup.
While the likes of Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Sporting CP have all already been linked, Townsend is trying to throw the A-League Men into the mix.
MORE: Ronaldo's full interview with Piers Morgan: What he said and how to watch
Nani, a former teammate of Ronaldo's, currently plays for ALM side Melbourne Victory, and while Townsend hasn't yet leveraged that relationship, he has got the ball rolling with a truly audacious move.
"We haven't been in Nani's ear but we've certainly registered our interest in bringing (Ronaldo) to Australia," Townsend told SportsFM 91.3 on Thursday.
"It's obviously a long shot but we certainly have a proposition here in Australia for him to consider.
"We're in dialogue and we'll see where that goes."
Oh boy 🚨@Cristiano in the @IsuzuUTE A-League, anyone?
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) November 17, 2022
Full details: https://t.co/szxtYvmHyS #WeAreALeagues pic.twitter.com/YPoHVPBIkU
Despite being 37, Ronaldo has regularly stressed his desire to continue playing at the top level for a few more years and is yet to confirm whether Qatar will be his last World Cup.
Along with the A-League Men and a host of European clubs, Major League Soccer also look poised to try and lure Ronaldo to the USA.
Around three MLS clubs are reportedly interested in signing Ronaldo with David Beckham's Inter Miami the latest to be linked with firm interest.
