Diogo Dalot reveals Cristiano Ronaldo told him Man Utd teammate wouldn't make it

Diogo Dalot has revealed Cristiano Ronaldo once told him a Manchester United striker wouldn't make it at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo made a surprise return to United in August 2021 in a transfer that broke the internet when his switch from Juventus was officially confirmed.

The club had already spent £73m on Jadon Sancho and £41m on Raphael Varane that summer in the hope of ushering in a new era of success after trying and failing to recreate Sir Alex Ferguson's title-winning teams since the Scot's retirement.

He scored 24 goals in all competitions in his first season back, but United finished sixth with Solskjaer being sacked in November 2021.

Many of United's signings failed to make the grade, and Dalot revealed that Ronaldo knew one forward wouldn't make it at Old Trafford.

"That season with Cristiano was when I really started to grow as a player and as a person. I lost count of the number of predictions he got right, because he knows so well what it takes to go to the top," Dalot wrote in the Players Tribune.

"If anyone skipped a set in the gym, he would notice.

"We had a striker here who did really well for us in his first season, but Cristiano said, 'He's not gonna make it here'. I said, 'Cris, he scored two goals today!' He said, 'Yeah, but he didn't have the fire to go for the third.'"

Dalot did not name the forward who Ronaldo was referring to, but the only forwards on United's books that season were Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani.

The only player other than Ronaldo to net a brace in his first season back was Bruno Fernandes, who has gone on to become one of United's greatest players in history.

Following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan and a public fallout with Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo departed after just 18 months back in Manchester and is now heading to his sixth World Cup with Portugal at the age of 41.

Dalot believes anyone suggesting the Al-Nassr forward shouldn't have been included in their 26-man squad is completely wrong.

He added: "To me, it's totally crazy that anyone could even debate whether he should play at the World Cup. Is he running like he's 22? No. Is he scoring a goal per game? Yes.

"Does he make us all better? Yes. The guy is 41.

"He doesn't need to be there, playing with people who are young enough to be his kids, but he is. Every time you meet him, you leave a little wiser."

Portugal kick off their World Cup campaign on June 17 against DR Congo.