The last time Cristiano Ronaldo tried to leave Manchester United, the club made him stay another year.
Back in 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson gave Ronaldo a verbal guarantee he could join Real Madrid the following season if he gave United one more year, which he duly did. With Ronaldo agitating to leave United again, after just one season back at Old Trafford, United are standing firm once more, insisting he is not for sale and must see out the final year of his deal.
Newly-appointed United boss Erik ten Hag reiterated that stance when he faced the world's media in Bangkok ahead of his first game in charge of United, against old foes Liverpool. Ten Hag, who grew visibly weary of the barrage of questions about United's star player, insisted he was planning for the new season with Ronaldo and talked of holding positive talks with him over the phone.
