Manchester United Football Club have been looking sharp in pre-season in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. But should the Red Devils keep the GOAT at Old Trafford?
Cristiano Ronaldo was the saving grace for Manchester United last season. I honestly don’t think that can be argued. The attacker won games single-handedly at times, due to his sheer willingness to always come out on top.
Fast-forward a few months and Ronaldo is trying to manoeuvre an exit from Old Trafford. Apparently, the club doesn’t match his ambition. It’s easy to see why he believes that after the 2021/22 campaign.
This is already a vastly different United side under Erik ten Hag. The Dutch manager has a distinct way of playing, with several Red Devils stars already directly benefitting as a result.
The question on everyone’s lips; Will Ronaldo suit Ten Hag’s tactics?
It’s a question we don’t know the answer to due to his pre-season tour absence. It’s looking likelier and likelier that Ronaldo will not play a single pre-season game, so starting him on the opening day against Brighton already feels like a risk. Assuming he stays, of course.
But should United want him to stay?
It’s a complex question to answer. Take Ronaldo’s goals out of the side last year and we’re sliding into the bottom half of the table at an alarming rate. His leadership qualities, guaranteed goals and sheer presence are irreplaceable.
On the flip side, his hefty wages coupled with the fact he’s not completely here offer up a couple of red flags that cannot be ignored. No one player is bigger than the club, even if he’s the best to ever pace up a pair of football boots.
Will Ronaldo press?
Ten Hag’s whole system is based on pressing from the front and having a team built around forwards who will work hard for 90 minutes. Ronaldo, for all his qualities, probably wouldn’t be able to do that even if he wanted to. He’s not getting any younger and the physical demands in this system require a different type of player.
Again, it’s a tough question to answer as we’ve not seen Ronaldo under Ten Hag as of yet. I do believe he’ll be out of the team on August 7th, though, purely because of the form displayed by Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial.
For Ronaldo to leave, a lot of stars have to align. A club has to show genuine interest and ambition to lure Ronaldo in. They’ll also have to take up his hefty wage demands.
As things stand, I’m not sure Ronaldo is being littered with high-level offers, hence why there’s been little-to-no movement in this brewing transfer saga.
The verdict
In the end, I think Ronaldo stays. But not because he wants to. Rather, a lack of attractive offers will probably ensure he remains a Red Devil for another season at least…
I just hope Ten Hag doesn’t bow down to Ronaldo’s every demand. He should get no special treatment, particularly after making his feelings known.
Are United better off without Ronaldo? I’m not sure. I do believe we’ll be less reliant on him in 2022/23, though. Which is a good thing.
Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at Manchester United? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Some of the good players are still after money although they make it sound like as if they are not happy at the club due to them not winning etc. But as I say they think that grass is greener on the other side. To what we hear is that now he has only the choice of joining a club who is offering good money but then again, is it because that club is a winning club or is it for the money? Then there was other clubs that he wanted to go to but the main cause is again money. They cannot offer the wages that Man.Utd are paying him. So if anyone believes his reason for leaving is down to not winning, we do not agree and that there is more to it. Some good Players these days are only after alot of things that makes them tempted once they get the taste of all such luxuries.