Erik ten Hag has insisted for months that Cristiano Ronaldo is firmly in his plans at Manchester United - even when the Portuguese superstar was angling for an exit.
The 37-year-old made it clear to the Old Trafford hierarchy earlier this summer that he would like to leave the club in the wake of their calamitous Premier League campaign last term. However, a lack of interest from elite-level clubs saw the veteran striker fail to land the move he craved.
After missing the club's pre-season tour, Ronaldo has been benched for the majority of United's matches so far this term by Ten Hag, but he was handed a rare start in the 2-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League prior to the international break.
