Joel Glazer hands Erik ten Hag blow amid Cristiano Ronaldo saga

The gap between the Manchester United hierarchy and the manager has never been bigger. 

Seemingly, the gap has grown since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013. 

Managers David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been let down by the Glazer family, and it seems as though it’s now Erik ten Hag’s turn. 

The lack of backing from the board in terms of transfers isn’t the only thing that shows that. More so, the Cristiano Ronaldo saga. 

Ronaldo has been linked with a move away since before the United squad reported for pre-season, but Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich presidents have both spoken out, dismissing the possibility of Ronaldo joining either one of the giants of European football.    

As reported on Tuesday, United co-chairman Joel Glazer is against the prospect of selling the Portuguese striker, despite the player’s wish to leave the club.

Glazer sees Ronaldo as a huge part of United’s global image, resisting any proactive attempts to sell the 37-year-old, though it is understood Ten Hag has privately been receptive to selling Ronaldo.

This has come after news that Erik ten Hag is now open to selling the player.

Should the former Juventus and Real Madrid man call it time on his United career during his second spell at the club, it may not all be positive at Old Trafford, with Ronaldo netting 24 times in 38 games in his first season back to the Premier League.

Furthermore, it would leave Ten Hag with just three senior attacking options in Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, though the latter has missed the opening two games of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes against Crystal Palace in pre-season. (Alamy)

The trio enjoyed a fruitful pre-season tour out in Thailand and Australia last month however, they managed just five goals between them in 2021/22. 

Behind what seems as though the obvious first choice front three is a very youthful pool of wingers in 20-year-old’s Anthony Elanga, Amad Diallo and Facundo Pellistri, with 18-year-old Argentine Alejandro Garnacho also emerging as a rising talent.

United have been linked with a whole host of attacking options throughout the summer in Ajax’s Antony, now RB Lepizig’s Benjamin Sesko, Atletico Madrid duo Alvaro Morata and Matheus Cunha, Mauro Icardi, Raul de Tomas and Jamie Vardy however, no move for a central striker looks imminent as of now.

Jamie Vardy against Arsenal. (Alamy)

Brazilian winger Antony had worked with Ten Hag previously at Ajax, though the Reds had no interest in meeting the Dutch champions’ price tag.

Any deal for Sesko had been reported to be difficult, with the Slovenian striker deciding to follow a familiar trail, crossing between two Red Bull-owned sides in RB Salzburg and Leipzig.

The 19-year-old will move to the Bundesliga outfit next summer, with the clubs agreeing to include a loan-back option for the remainder of the current season. 

As for United, another option in attack is key and much needed, as is a long list of other positions. So far, Ten Hag has only been given centre-back Lisandro Martinez, left-back Tyrell Malacia and midfielder Christian Eriksen. 

In games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, United have scored just once, being an own goal from Alex MacAllister at Old Trafford, and find themselves rock bottom in terms of confidence and league position, and the fixtures don’t get much easier.

Next up: arch-rivals Liverpool.