The five-time Ballon d'Or winner could be sold next summer as Juventus look to balance the books in the wake of COVID-19.

Two days after rumors emerged claiming Juventus are exploring the prospect of selling Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, new reports have popped up as to where his next destination could be. Unfortunately, the talk of the town is rather conflicting, with some tipping him to join PSG while others are betting on a return to Man Utd.

While the Old Lady have made no concrete decision on the Portuguese icon's future, the Italians cannot extend the 35-year-old's contract as it stands come next summer. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner remains their talisman forward but the financial implications brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic means the Serie A giants cannot afford to pay him his nearly $37M-per-year salary, a figure which is five times more than the club's second-highest earner Paulo Dybala.

CR7's contract ends in June 2022 and the Bianconeri would either have to extend it or move him on next year, with the latter being highly touted as of late. Man United are said to be one of the favorites to land him should he leave, with FOX America journalist Christian Martin claiming that the Red Devils are already in talks to re-sign the Portuguese superstar.

Cristiano scored 118 goals in 292 games across six unforgettable years at Old Trafford, winning one of his five Ballon d'Or in a Man Utd jersey. The attacker enjoys legendary status among the fan base and would be welcomed back at the Theatre of Dreams. As a result, Martin's claim that "the Portuguese star is considering it [a return to Old Trafford]" shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Juventus would facilitate that move should the goalscoring machine issue a request.

There are some counter-arguments to this speculation, the first being Solskjaer's preference for young players. Then there is the question of whether the Red Devils can afford him and whether a player as competitive and driven for success as Ronaldo would even be interested in joining the current project under Ole and Woodward, which due to poor leadership and vision is far off from success even after many years.

Elsewhere, beIN Sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri has also linked Cristiano with a move to another European giants, but this time, it is PSG. The Sicilian journalist writes that due to the current climate, not many clubs can afford Ronaldo and thus Juventus will look to explore a player swap deal with the French giants. The man they would want in exchange for CR7, according to Palmeri, is Neymar, a player whose contract also ends in 2022 and who "has a contract identical" to that of the Portuguese icon.

Being the most successful man in UCL history, nicknamed "Mr. Champions League", it was inevitable he would be linked with Les Parisiens, a team whose sole priority is to win the lucrative European crown. It will be interesting to see whether the former Real Madrid man joins the French giants, returns to Manchester, or remains in the Italian top-flight.

Cristiano's immediate concern is not his Juventus future, rather Portugal's upcoming games. The attacker has joined up with the national team for the ongoing international break and will probably be involved in their crucial UEFA Nations League clash with France on Saturday.