Roma chief clarifies Cristiano Ronaldo speculation

Roma's director of football Pinto has clarified that the club were never interested in signing Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo last summer.

The Portugal international was the subject of interest from several teams in the last transfer window, but he ended up staying with the Red Devils.

Pinto has now disclosed that Roma were never interested in the 37-year-old striker and the rumours over the summer had no foundation at all.

He said at the Thinking Football Summit in Portugal: "The truth is that Cristiano Ronaldo was never a possibility."

"These rumours had no foundation, but in Italy they talk every day about three different players linked with your club."

Ronaldo has had a difficult season at United with just three goals from 16 games and he is now expected to leave the club on a free transfer.

He made derogatory comments on Erik ten Hag and the club's owners this week, and United are set to release him without any kind of pay-off.