Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has doubled down on his stance that forward Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the club and that he is firmly in his plans ahead of next season.
The Portuguese superstar has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford all summer long. Reports have consisted of a variety of reasons behind the famous United No. 7’s desire to depart, but the common denominator has always been that he wants out.
Ronaldo is not currently on the pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia with United, causing Ten Hag to be bombarded with questions about the 37-year-old’s future in every single media obligation.
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Up until Monday, the Dutch boss was rather tight lipped about the situation. Ten Hag was adamant that Ronaldo has always been a part of the club’s planning and that he would eventually re-join the squad whenever his ‘personal issues’ were resolved.
There has been plenty of speculation as to why Ronaldo is so hell bent on leaving the club which propelled him to reaching the lofty heights he did over the span of his illustrious career. The biggest appears to be the lack of Champions League football next season – an extremely strict criteria in Ronaldo’s demands.
However, during Monday’s press conference ahead of United’s third pre-season fixture against Crystal Palace, Ten Hag dived into a little more detail than usual on the Portuguese talisman’s future.
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When asked about the relentless Ronaldo rumour mill, Ten Hag said: “I am well informed, he also has an option [of another year]. Yes [he could stay beyond next season]. Of course, I have signed here for three years but in football, it’s short-term as well.”
It may come as a bit of a surprise that the Dutch boss not only believes that he will get to work with Ronaldo this season, but maybe even the one after that. Perhaps there have been further conversations since Ronaldo’s wishes became public.
Ronaldo fitting into Ten Hag’s physically demanding system has been a popular topic of discourse in the media of late. The forward’s ability to get goals will never be questioned. Committing to doing all of the other intangibles that contribute to winning, however, is a different story.
Ronaldo’s presence alone breeds a different type of winning mentality. But physically, the Portuguese icon – even in his prime – was excused from doing some things on the pitch off the ball. With age, you’d figure the need to build a system around him would get even more pressing. Ten Hag disagrees.
“I think Cristiano is capable of pressing,” the United boss said. “In his career, he has shown everything. I have set my demand. We want to play in a certain way. A top player can contribute, and Ronaldo is an absolute top player in our squad.”
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We will never know how much Ten Hag truly believes that statement. But the gruelling workouts that he is putting his players through in order to build fitness for the Premier League season suggest that even with the exceptions that may have to be made for Ronaldo, the squad could accommodate the marksman with their increased fitness levels.
One of United’s biggest issues last season was becoming over reliant on Ronaldo and severely underusing the other impactful players, such as Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes to name a couple.
In any team that Ronaldo is a part of, he will undoubtedly take the centre stage and want to score every game. However, in order to be a serious challenger, United will have to work with the legendary forward to strike a balance with his teammates.
Ronaldo won’t get United to where Ten Hag aspires to be by himself. And how the team plays with or without the No. 7 is ultimately down to the players, according to the Reds’ boss.
After a disastrous 2021/22 campaign, a pleasant harmony has surrounded United’s pre-season camp this summer. Everyone seems to have bought in and is on the same page about the improvements that need to be made.
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United have won both of their opening two pre-season fixtures and the players are constantly singing each other’s praises, as well as the managers. The 52-year-old knows exactly what he wants his players to do on the pitch and how he wants them to execute.
“The players dictate the way you play,” Ten Hag said. “Especially players who score goals because they are extremely important for a team. You construct your team around them. We have to win from the start. So, I don’t look that far ahead. I have a strategy, it’s a process. It takes time but, in the end, we have to make sure that from the outset, there is a winning team.”
Ten Hag and his idea of football has been a breath of fresh air and United are executing it willingly – all while Ronaldo’s services are being offered around Europe by super agent Jorge Mendes.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Manchester United, Transfers, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League, Football