Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United are locked in a stand-off after Erik ten Hag punished the star for his Tottenham tantrum by dropping him from the squad for Saturday’s conflict with Chelsea.
Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo reacts on the finish of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on 7 August 2022. Pictre: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP
LONDON – Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United are locked in a stand-off after Erik ten Hag punished the star for his Tottenham tantrum by dropping him from the squad for Saturday’s conflict with Chelsea.
The United boss laid down the regulation after the famous person striker refused to come back on instead within the ultimate minutes of Wednesday’s spectacular 2-0 win in opposition to Spurs at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo and Ten Hag may finish their stormy relationship when the switch window opens in January, however it’s not sure there might be an acceptable purchaser for the 37-year-old regardless of his standing within the sport.
AFP Sport seems to be at what may occur next for Ronaldo.
FIND A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SUITOR
If Ronaldo’s time at United is coming to an finish, he’ll seemingly be determined to salvage some satisfaction by becoming a member of a membership within the Champions League.
That was his want when he tried to engineer a transfer within the aftermath of United’s failure to qualify for the competitors final season.
But Ronaldo overestimated his personal worth, a stark actuality that grew to become clear when giants corresponding to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich opted to not transfer for the Portugal worldwide.
Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Napoli have been different golf equipment linked with a participant coming into the twilight of his profession.
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was reportedly eager on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner regardless of his decline, however then-boss Thomas Tuchel refused to countenance the prospect of introducing the risky Ronaldo to his squad.
With Tuchel since sacked and the extra “collaborative” Graham Potter now in cost at Stamford Bridge, it is going to be intriguing to see if Chelsea make a transfer.
Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese membership the place Ronaldo began his skilled profession, might be if their former participant, who this month scored his 700th membership purpose, is prepared to just accept an enormous pay minimize.
If United are prepared to tear up the rest of Ronaldo’s contract, which expires on the finish of this season, it might additionally make him extra engaging as it might take away a switch price from the equation.
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
Ronaldo reportedly rejected a profitable provide from a Saudi Arabian membership throughout his try to go away Old Trafford, with the participant apparently not prepared to contemplate taking part in exterior Europe’s elite leagues.
But along with his place at United now significantly weakened after the membership took disciplinary measures in opposition to him, it’s attainable that wherever however Old Trafford is now a fascinating vacation spot for the five-time Champions League winner.
Ronaldo is known to have alienated dressing room allies after his touchline tantrum and has reportedly been crucial of Ten Hag’s coaching strategies.
With that in thoughts, resurrecting a transfer to the Gulf might be on the agenda for Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes.
Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, half owned by Ronaldo’s former United team-mate David Beckham and managed by Phil Neville – one other ex-Old Trafford colleague – may additionally be an interesting and profitable possibility.
SWALLOW PRIDE?
If Ronaldo can’t discover a appropriate new membership, would he be prepared to remain at United in a bid to restore his tarnished fame?
Sections of the assist who idolised him in his profitable first spell on the membership from 2003 to 2009 have grown uninterested in Ronaldo’s antics however a ultimate uplifting chapter to his United story can’t be utterly dominated out.
That will largely rely upon Ten Hag, who banished the previous Real Madrid and Juventus star from first-team coaching after dropping him for the Chelsea sport.
Ronaldo has apparently discovered the Ajax supervisor a a lot more durable proposition than the Dutchman’s predecessors Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, who accommodated the ahead final season.
Publicly, Ten Hag insists Ronaldo stays “an important part of the squad”, whereas the striker reacted to his omission from the Chelsea sport by saying he would “keep working hard” to get again within the group.
If Ronaldo and Ten Hag can bury the hatchet, it might be mutually helpful, at the least till the top of the season.