Manchester United will be hoping that Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't replicate Harry Kane's transfer tactics last summer when he tried to leave Tottenham.
The Portugal international has told the Red Devils that he wants to leave the club this summer after a disappointing season in the Premier League. United finished sixth last year with their lowest points total of all time.
It also saw Ronaldo go the season without winning a trophy - the first time in over a decade - and that was despite being the club's top scorer with 24 in all competitions. United have insisted that the 37-year-old is going nowhere while Erik ten Hag is determined to keep hold of him.
But the Red Devils might be powerless if Ronaldo decides to go rogue - and there is every chance that could happen. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has already failed to show up for pre-season this week.
Family reasons have been cited as the reason why and one that United have been happy to accept. But if this continues, the club might have a serious problem on their hands.
United fully expect Ronaldo to return to training and jet off to Thailand this summer for their pre-season plans. The flight is scheduled for this Friday and is supposed to be a chance for Ten Hag to fully meet his players and get to grips with the upcoming campaign.
The Ronald saga will now likely overshadow the entire summer unless a compromise can be found or a transfer away, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Chelsea linked. The similarities between this situation and that of Kane's last season are startling.
Back in 2021, Manchester City made numerous bids for the England international, who told Tottenham that he wanted to leave after a disappointing season and the chance to win top silverware. Spurs dug their heels in and the saga got ugly.
Kane refused to turn up to training and handed in a transfer request only for Daniel Levy to harden his stance and tell the striker that he is going nowhere, despite an apparent gentleman's agreement that would allow the Spurs frontman to leave.
While Ronaldo has yet to go that far, the fact that he has not turned up for the first day of pre-season will be an alarming matter for the Old Trafford hierarchy. The club made a huge fanfare over the Portuguese superstar's return last summer and will have egg on their face if he quits just one year later.
