Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be joining Chelsea this summer as Thomas Tuchel prefers to forge a fluid attack featuring new signing Raheem Sterling, according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons.

After bringing Sterling in from Manchester City for a reported £50-million fee on Wednesday, the Blues are prioritizing reinforcements in defense. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly is expected to move to Stamford Bridge for €40 million, and the club is apparently pursuing City’s Nathan Ake and Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe.

Ronaldo, 37, asked to leave Manchester United due to his disappointment in the club’s apparently unambitious summer transfer dealings. New Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was reportedly interested in the prospect of signing the Portuguese superstar following a meeting with his agent Jorge Mendes, but he’s since withdrawn the club’s interest after talks with Tuchel.

PSG reportedly turned down the chance to acquire Ronaldo on Tuesday, and Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn recently said the attacker “wouldn’t be a fit with our philosophy.”

Ronaldo has cited family reasons for his continued absence from United’s training sessions and friendlies ahead of the new season. It’s understood he lowered his wage demands after top European clubs appeared wary to table a bid for his services.

Portuguese media outlets claimed Wednesday that a Saudi Arabian club offered Ronaldo a contract worth around £100 million per season, Aarons reports. However, Ronaldo wants to play for a team competing in the Champions League.

United are set to play in the Europa League in the 2022-23 campaign.

Chelsea’s failure to sign Raphinha has opened the door to other options as they explore ways to strengthen their attack.

With the Leeds United winger set for a move to Barcelona, Chelsea have shifted their focus to Serge Gnabry of Bayern Munich and could also launch a bid for AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, according to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian.

The Blues are reportedly monitoring Gnabry’s situation. The German winger’s future is uncertain given he has just one year left on his contract with the Bavarian giants. Gnabry scored 17 goals last season and was an important part of Bayern’s Champions League triumph in 2020.

Sealing a deal for Gnabry is thought to be more feasible than Leao, who had 11 goals and 10 assists in AC Milan’s Serie A-winning campaign last season. Milan are averse to parting with the 23-year-old and likely won’t consider offers below £100 million, Steinberg adds.

Chelsea had a deal in place to sign Raphinha last month after Leeds accepted their £55-million offer. But the Brazilian international was reportedly hesitant about moving to Stamford Bridge and has his heart set on a move to the Camp Nou instead.

Barcelona are nearing a deal after reportedly tabling an improved offer of £49 million for the 25-year-old, who joined Leeds from Rennes in 2020.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are on the verge of adding another attacking weapon in Raheem Sterling, who is reportedly set to join from Manchester City in a £50-million transfer.

Blues manager Thomas Tuchel is believed to be a big fan of Bayern Munich wantaway Robert Lewandowski, according to Steinberg. However, the prolific Pole has been trying to engineer a move to Barcelona since the 2021-22 season ended.

Paul Pogba is heading back to Italy.

Juventus announced the French midfielder’s return Monday on a free transfer, six years after selling him to Manchester United for a then-world record €105-million fee.

Pogba agreed to a four-year contract worth a reported €8 million after tax per season. That’s well below the estimated €17.65 million he was earning before tax with the Red Devils.

The 29-year-old initially left United for Juventus in 2012 for around €1 million. Playing alongside Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Arturo Vidal, Pogba developed into one of the game’s most dominant box-to-box midfielders, helping Juventus win four of their nine consecutive Serie A titles between 2012 and 2020. He also started in the team that lost to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final in Berlin.

He’ll find a different team upon his return to Turin. Massimiliano Allegri, who coached Pogba during his first stint at Juventus, is back on the bench, but the team at his disposal is reeling from the club’s first trophyless season in a decade. Former teammates Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala are also leaving Juventus after long spells with the Bianconeri.

Pogba is expected to play in a three-man midfield with Manuel Locatelli and Denis Zakaria. Arthur, Weston McKennie, and Adrien Rabiot are also options in midfield.

Pogba faces his own recovery. He missed 72 games over the last three seasons due to hamstring and ankle injuries, according to transfermarkt.com, and last played competitively in a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in April.