Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes Wayne Rooney was “wrong” to suggest the Red Devils should move on from Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the season.
The Derby County manager - who appeared on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football this week - insisted that his old side needed to look to the future if they are to become title contenders again. “You’d have to say no at the minute,” Rooney said when asked if Ronaldo’s return had worked out.
"I think he's scored goals, he's scored important goals in the Champions League early on in the season, he scored the hat-trick against Tottenham.
"But I think if you're looking to the future of the club, you have to go with younger, hungry players to do the best and lift Manchester United over these next two or three years. Obviously Cristiano is getting on a bit, he certainly isn't the player he was when he was in his 20s, and that happens, that's football.
"He's a goal threat but the rest of the game they need more, they need young, hungry players." Ronaldo clearly took some offence to the comments, replying to his former team-mate and claiming he was “jealous”.
And Saha, who played with both Rooney and Ronaldo during his time at United has backed the latter and insisted there is nobody better for the club’s youngsters to learn from than the 37 year old icon.
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"I don't understand. I'm a bit surprised. To target Cristiano Ronaldo and say we need to move on is wrong,” he told BoyleSports EPL. "Why don't we build young players around Cristiano? Let them learn and improve around him.
"If those players cannot improve and grow then they are not good enough. I don't agree at all and I think Cristiano has done an enormous sacrifice, but under criticism he has done well. The team hasn't played well and I don't like Cristiano being targeted."
Saha did agree with one part of Rooney’s United verdict however, in that Jesse Lingard should be a more prominent member of Ralf Rangnick’s squad. Lingard has earned just 199 minutes of Premier League action, despite his loan spell at West Ham last season proving he still has plenty to offer.
Rooney said: “I think as we said they’ve got good young players. I think Sancho will be better next year, Marcus will be better next year. They’ve got good young players. I think Jesse Lingard should be playing for them because he brings energy, brings quality.”
And Saha was on board with that sentiment, adding: "I think Wayne's got a point. He's a local boy and hungry and wants to play. I don't think he deserves the team to be built around him. I don't think Lingard is at that level.
"He played well at West Ham, but Man United is a different animal and Bruno Fernandes should be asking for that and Lingard will respect that. His attitude is like that as he doesn't complain and knows that he needs to do better."
