Cristiano Ronaldo is gone. The post-Ronaldo era has started at Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag was happy to wave goodbye to Ronaldo, who contributed three goals in 16 appearances under his management, but caused a disproportionate amount of headaches.
"He's gone and it's the past," the Dutchman told MUTV earlier this month. "We are now looking forward and we're looking to the future."
Ten Hag hopes that the future he speaks of will be under new owners. United are up for sale, with the Glazer family actively looking for buyers. Raine Group, the financial advisors tasked with selling United, are aiming to complete the sale by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
"There will be more investment possible which is good," Ten Hag said recently after speaking with chief executive Richard Arnold. "We spoke about the culture we want, we spoke about objectives, goals and the culture and he confirmed it won't change. It will be even better because more money will become available for this project."
That is the dream scenario: the unpopular and frugal Glazers sell to new owners who are happy to fund a revival project. But the current reality is quite different, with Sky Sports reporting that there is a ‘significant’ chance United don’t sign anyone in the January transfer window.
United spent over £200million in the summer and are conscious of complying with financial fair play rules. That means a big-money move for PSV Eindhoven star Cody Gakpo might have to wait.
Ten Hag may therefore have to look within his squad to find a short-term replacement for Ronaldo. It could be argued that isn’t too difficult, given he only started four Premier League games in 2021/22 and two of his three goals came against FC Sheriff in the Europa League, but United still need other figures to step up.
A cursory glance of United’s top scorers so far this season reveals a lack of consistent contributions in front of goal. Marcus Rashford leads the way with eight goals and three assists, ahead of Anthony Martial, who has four goals and two assists. Remarkably, Ronaldo is third – and therein lies the problem.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Ten Hag has lots to ponder. United have now lost two hugely experienced strikers – Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani – without replacing them. The World Cup break has given Ten Hag lots of time to take stock; friendly defeats against Cadiz and Real Betis, during the training camp in Spain, hint at the lack of depth.
HAVE YOUR SAY! How should Erik ten Hag replace Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half of the season? Comment below.
Fresh off an impressive World Cup, Rashford now looks set for a regular starting spot on the left of United’s front three. On the other flank, £86m summer signing Antony is a Ten Hag favourite who needs to build on the three goals he’s managed so far.
That leaves four battling for the other position in Ten Hag’s first-choice starting XI: Martial, Anthony Elanga, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho.
Martial is the most obvious replacement for Ronaldo, given he is the only player who is most comfortable playing down the middle. The Frenchman has endured a multitude of ups and downs during his time with United, but does have pedigree in the form of 83 goals in 276 appearances for the club.
Unlike Rashford and Antony, the 27-year-old has been training with United over the past few weeks and scored in the 4-2 friendly defeat by Cadiz.
The next most likely is Garnacho, who went into the World Cup break in style with a 93rd-minute winner against Fulham and two assists against Aston Villa. That may feel like a lifetime ago now, but the 18-year-old has the benefit of confidence on his side.
By contrast, both Sancho and Elanga were short on that attribute pre-World Cup. Elanga is yet to record a goal or assist in 13 appearances for United this season after showing plenty of signs of promise under Ralf Rangnick last campaign.
Sancho has three goals and one assist in 14 games this season but is currently out injured. "I have had several talks with Jadon," Ten Hag revealed recently. "He's on a physical programme and our aim is to get him back as quickly as possible, but I can't give a prognosis of when that will be."
Ten Hag believes Sancho’s head dropped after he was not selected for England's Nations League matches in the autumn. "Sometimes there are circumstances with fitness and mood," he said. "He was not in the right status or fitness state." One of the Dutchman’s biggest tasks will be to help the 22-year-old find that state.
With no transfer funds available ahead of a possible takeover, Ten Hag will have to find goals from what he has already, rather than buying them.
