Cristiano Ronaldo has handed new Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag a straightforward decision to make over the Portuguese star’s future.
Ronaldo is determined to depart the Red Devils this summer after not reporting to the club's pre-season tour of Asia due to 'family reasons'. The Portuguese star made his first appearance under new United boss Ten Hag on Sunday as the Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag is keen to make his mark on his new United squad; with the signings of Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez complimenting the emergence of a number of exciting younger players. More additions are needed in a summer which has seen eight first-team squad players depart, but the Dutchman has the chance to assert the necessary authority on his new team.
During his first appearance under Ten Hag, Ronaldo was engaged in an animated conversation with the coach on the sidelines. Having subsequently been taken off at the break, Ronaldo was then pictured leaving Old Trafford before the end of the game alongside Diogo Dalot - not part of the squad on the day - heading towards the stadium car park.
A report from Football Transfers has now outlined how Ronaldo had not even made himself available to speak to Ten Hag via Zoom during his absence from the club’s first three weeks of pre-season. The Portuguese star was virtually uncontactable.
Comments from Ten Hag’s assistant coach Steve McClaren further indicate the necessity to move on from Ronaldo. McClaren, formerly a number two to Sir Alex Ferguson, reiterated the need for ‘discipline’ and for players to totally buy into the new boss’s decisions.
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McClaren has said : “Last season, seasons are gone. The history is gone. It’s past. It’s about the future and we’ve got an opportunity to create that in a certain style and Erik wants to see that happen. The vibe that I’m getting from the players is that they want it too. They want that discipline, they want to know what their jobs are. They want feedback on it. Because they want to win. I’m afraid at Manchester United you have to win.”
Furthermore, Ronaldo is the highest earner at United with an annual wage of £26.5million with David De Gea (£19.5million) and Jadon Sancho (£18.2million) completing the top three. With the club making a £50million annual saving on the exits of this summer’s players including Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard – the exit of Ronaldo, even without a transfer fee, would transform United’s economic situation.
Ronaldo may have bagged an impressive 24 goals in a substandard United side last campaign but his arrival coincided with a sharp downturn in the team’s form and the form of all other attack-minded players regressing. His qualities are not without their merits, even at the age of 37, but his prolonged presence in Ten Hag’s dressing room risks undermining the new coach’s authority and scope for building his own squad.
