Newcastle United have been backed to become the next destination for Cristiano Ronaldo following his departure from Manchester United. 

The Lowdown: Ronaldo's Man United exit

Last month, it was announced that the 37-year-old had left the Red Devils through mutual agreement after he was involved in an interview with TalkTV where he criticised the club, the owners and his manager Erik ten Hag.

Recent reports have claimed that the former Man United striker has received a formal proposal from Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr which would pay him almost €200m (£173m) per season on a contract to 2025.

Nonetheless, it seems that one former Premier League figure has backed the Portuguese legend to stay in England and swap one United for another.

The Latest: Newcastle backed to sign Ronaldo

In a recent interview with IlBiancoNero, former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko had his say on where he thinks Ronaldo will end up following the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar.

He stated of the 37-year-old: "I think he's going to stay in England and I see him at Newcastle. Only they have the money to be able to afford it in Europe, at least among the teams interested in him."

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The Verdict: A decision for Howe and PIF

Bearing in mind how Ronaldo scored 24 goals in 37 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League last season, it's safe to say that despite his advanced age, he still has the ability to be a top attacking figure in England and in Europe.

Hailed as an "extraordinary" player by Gary Lineker, it's easy to see what the forward would be able to offer Eddie Howe's side on the pitch.

However, having been picking up a rather hefty wage of £515k-per-week while at Old Trafford, it's likely that it would take a significant investment from PIF to lure Ronaldo to St James' Park.

With all of that in mind, it seems as though Newcastle certainly have the ability to ponder whether or not they want to make a move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, but it should ultimately be down to Howe and whether or not he feels Ronaldo would be beneficial for the team.