Manchester United always knew this would be the summer in which they finally waved goodbye to a number of players who quite simply didn't want to play for the club anymore.
Paul Pogba's six-year stay came to an end when he officially left the club as a free agent last week, as was the case for Edinson Cavani after a failed second season in which he managed only 20 appearances. By the time his contract expired, Jesse Lingard was also glad to leave, frustrated by the lack of opportunities he had been afforded over the last year despite being promised a key role under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
United had chances to sell Pogba and Lingard while they both would've commanded a decent transfer fee, and there was also plenty of time to separate from Cavani, rather than give him an additional year at the club that he had to be convinced to agree to in the first place.
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All three of them were talented players, but much more is needed to make it at United. Erik ten Hag is looking for unity in his first season at Old Trafford and is keen to establish a sense of camaraderie and togetherness. The news that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave this summer certainly wasn't in his plan.
Ronaldo still views himself as one of the greatest players on the planet and feels his 24 goals in 37 last season are deserving of a greater platform than the Europa League with a dysfunctional United side next season.
Even at the age of 37, he has proven himself good enough to lead the line in the Premier League most weeks, but there is an acceptance that his powers are dwindling, and he might only have another couple of seasons at the top level competing for the most sought-after prizes in club football.
From the player's point of view, it is obvious why Ronaldo is seeking football at the highest level, especially ahead of another uncertain season at United, though there is a major stumbling block in the fact that he has one more year left on his deal and the club have plenty of reasons to keep him.
Not only does Ronaldo offer United an unrivalled threat on the pitch, but he is also integral to their commercial and marketing operations in a way no other signing could match.
Following his Old Trafford return last summer, online retailer Fanatics revealed Ronaldo’s No. 7 shirt sold more in a single day than any other player’s ever had, across any sport, beating Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was no surprise either that Ronaldo was responsible for the fastest-selling shirt in the history of the Premier League, and with United's new kit set to be announced this week, having him on board for another season will be crucial to further sales records being set.
Ronaldo's huge global appeal also throws uncertainty over his affordability this summer as well. United paid an initial €15million to Juventus for his services last summer, an affordable fee, but still an incredibly expensive package when his wages are taken into consideration.
It means any suitor in this window would need to be able to match his hefty personal demands but also pay a fee large enough that it covers his value as both a player and a marketing asset, something which seems unlikely for United to accept.
However, the counter argument is that if Ronaldo truly does not want to be at United next season, then he should be allowed to leave, rather than burden Ten Hag with a dressing room in which the most powerful individual has desires to be elsewhere.
Keeping Pogba, Cavani and Lingard when they didn't want to be at the club had a detrimental affect on United's fabric as a club and caused so much disharmony that the actual football was affected, and United must be well aware of the risk keeping Ronaldo against his will might have on the team.
A seismic summer of change has given the opportunity to make a clear cut from past mistakes, but the Ronaldo uncertainty has left the toughest hurdle yet to navigate.
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