Erik ten Hag has broken his silence on the future of Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United. Ten Hag admitted having spoken to the striker, who may likely stay at Old Trafford, with the transfer window closing in a couple of hours.
New Manchester United manager, Erik Ten Hag, has finally tamed wild flying speculations about the future of Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United. The transfer window closes in a matter of hours, and there have been speculations about the place of Cristiano Ronaldo under Erik Ten Hag’s setup.
Recall that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had asked the club to allow him to leave the Premier League club at the end of last season, as he was crazed for a chance to play Champions League football.
The 2022 transfer window, which closes today, September 1, 2022, was seen by pundits as an opportunity to move away from the Old Trafford club.
However, Ronaldo could not effect a move away from Old Trafford as it stands. No club has submitted a bid for him. He has also remained silent amidst speculations of his future at the club.
Ronaldo has started only one Premier League game for Man United so far this season. The Red Devils lost the game scandalously (Brentford 4 Vs. Manchester United 0) even worse than their opening game (Brighton 2 Vs. Manchester United 1).
A furious Ten Hag had to reshuffle his squad with the Portugal international benched, including team captain Harry Maguire. Man United got two wins in their two subsequent matches. Already, pundits have opined that it may be the right time for Ronaldo to leave United as he has fallen down the pecking order under Ten Hag’s new setup.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has delivered an extensive update on the Cristiano Ronaldo situation at Old Trafford. Remember, Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, had reportedly gone into talks with Napoli to persuade the Italian to pursue a possible loan move for the highly-rated striker. Erik Ten Hag’s 2022 transfer update on the team has finally put to rest speculations about Ronaldo’s future.
When asked whether he had communicated with Ronaldo so far, Ten Hag replied in the affirmative.
“Several times, yes. We are on the same page. [He is happy to stay] otherwise he wouldn’t be here,” the Dutch coach said.
Recall that Man United has made some top signings to bolster the squad as the 2022/23 Premier League campaign progresses. The most recent addition is a Brazilian winger, Antony, from Ajax. When asked whether Man United’s new signings will affect Ronaldo, Ten Hag said “no”; that he chiseled his transfer
plans with Ronaldo in mind.
“From the start, we said we planned with him [Ronaldo], we are happy with him, he’s happy to be here, and we want to make the season a success together,” Ten Hag said.
The former Ajax manager and Eredivisie winner was optimistic about Ronaldo’s ability to fit in his new high-press system, and he hid no admiration for Ronaldo’s skills and improvement in training.
“The way of playing, the set of demands, you can see in training Ronaldo has the ability,” Ten Hag said.
“He will fit in because… I don’t have to explain; he is a great player with great capabilities. He will fit in every system and every style. We are on one page, and he knows what the demands are,” he continued.
Ten Hag defended Manchester United’s transfer spending saying the club has to do it if they want to compete for the trophy. He lauded the quality of all his transfer signings, hinting at their relevance to the squad.
From the words of the new manager, Ronaldo may stay at Old Trafford till the next transfer window. It remains unknown how Ten Hag will balance the demands for a good playing time by Ronaldo, as he seeks to experiment with his new additions. The coming weeks will show the direction the club is heading this season.
