Returning superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will need to play catch-up on his Manchester United teammates in order to reach peak fitness for the upcoming Premier League campaign.
That's the message from United manager Erik ten Hag as Ronaldo gears up to make his first pre-season appearance at Old Trafford this afternoon (4pm). Ronaldo will be in the matchday squad against Rayo Vallecano as Ten Hag opts for 11 changes from the side beaten 1-0 by Atletico Madrid on Saturday lunchtime.
Ronaldo was left at home for that trip to Oslo after only returning to Carrington this Tuesday morning. It was there where he held crunch talks with Ten Hag alongside agent Jorge Mendes.
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Speculation over Ronaldo continues to spiral and there has been no definitive answer made over his future, but he will lace up his boots against Spanish opponents. However, there is no telling how long the Portugal captain will be able to play as fringe players and promising youngsters also get their chance.
Speaking to Viaplay, manager Ten Hag said: "He [Ronaldo] will be in the squad. We'll see how long he can play.
"I cannot tell in this moment [how fit Ronaldo is]. He is not on the level of the rest of the squad because he missed a lot of weeks, but he needs games and he needs training, a lot."
Ronaldo missed the club's tour to Thailand and Australia due to a family matter. During that absence, there were also serious question marks raised on his United future; with Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and PSG among the clubs to have distanced themselves from a high-profile swoop for him.
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