A report earlier this month claimed Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision of quitting Manchester United after a disappointing 2021-22 campaign. He skipped their pre-season games citing family reasons but is now back at Carrington training ground with superagent Jorge Mendes to discuss his future.
The iconic Portuguese star scripted an emotional Old Trafford return from Juventus for a fee of around £12.85m. It was not easy to attune to the grind and demand of the Premier League at the age of 37, but the veteran attacker proved his mastery yet again with 24 goals and 3 assists in 38 outings across competitions.
Despite his best efforts and winning mentality, the Red Devils were disastrous all throughout the previous term. The dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjær did not help, as they only managed a sixth-place league finish under interim chief Ralf Rangnick. A player of Ronaldo’s stature wants to compete at the highest level, but the same can’t be attained at Manchester United, who have only claimed a Europa League berth after missing out on a ‘top four’ finish by quite a margin.
Although the striking ace missed their Thailand and Australia trip, gaffer Erik ten Hag considers him in his plans for the season ahead.
“We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that’s it. I’m looking forward to working with him. Cristiano is not for sale. He is in our plans and we want success together.”
Although the Dutchman wants to retain his services beyond the summer window (as quoted by Sky Sports), an offer would still be entertained for the Portugual international with less than a year left in his current contract.
Ronaldo joined Man United from Sporting CP during his teenage days. He spent seven seasons in his first stint but left for Real Madrid for a then club-record £80m fee. He achieved numerous club and individual honours all throughout his glorious realm, however, the ongoing transition at the Theatre of Dreams makes an immediate title triumph uncertain.
Manchester United Must Keep Hold Of Him
United had a stupendous pre-season as the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial looked majestic after a few dreadful months. Their pressing game and relentless runs have made the fans ecstatic after years of despair, but the club are still highly-reliant on Ronaldo after parting ways with Edinson Cavani last month. Mason Greenwood, though released on bail, has been suspended by the club following his imprisonment, and it remains to be seen whether they succeed in retaining his services for one more year.
