Ronaldo Nearly Joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2018

11 January 2026at17:20

Former footballer Patrice Evra has revealed details regarding Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to leave Real Madrid in 2018, in an interview with RMC Sports.

After winning the Champions League title with Real Madrid against Liverpool in Kyiv, Ronaldo decided to depart from the Spanish giants. Although he ultimately joined Italian club Juventus, Evra confirmed that Ronaldo seriously considered a move to French side Paris Saint-Germain that summer.

Evra also indicated that English club Chelsea was among the options available to Ronaldo, while Arsenal was the only team the Portuguese star completely ruled out. It is worth noting that Paris Saint-Germain had a long-standing interest in Ronaldo, dating back to 2012, which reportedly caused disagreements between the player and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez.

This information highlights how close Ronaldo came to joining the Parisian club in 2018 before ultimately choosing to move to Turin. After his subsequent departure from Juventus, Ronaldo was once again linked with Paris Saint-Germain, but he eventually joined Manchester United.

Q&A

What did Patrice Evra reveal about Cristiano Ronaldo's 2018 transfer decision?

Patrice Evra disclosed that after winning the Champions League in 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo seriously considered joining Paris Saint-Germain before ultimately moving to Juventus, despite long-standing PSG interest.

Which other clubs were in contention for Cristiano Ronaldo's signature in 2018?

In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo considered Chelsea as an option alongside Paris Saint-Germain, ultimately joining Juventus. He explicitly ruled out Arsenal during his departure from Real Madrid.