Premier League English

Cristiano Ronaldo ‘asks to leave Man Utd’ throwing Erik ten Hag plans into doubt

Cristiano Ronaldo has stunned all and sundry at Manchester United by reportedly handed in a transfer request asking to leave Old Trafford in the summer transfer window, just 11 months after returning to the club.

The Portuguese superstar has clearly made known his intentions to end his second spell at Old Trafford and actually requested that the Red Devils’ management seriously consider offers from interested clubs in the current transfer window. Which about sums up the extent of his earlier professed loyalty to the club at the time of his rejoining it just when the previous campaign was about to kick off.

According to The Times, the 37-year-old feels he still has three or four years left to perform at the highest level and is hence desirous of spending them at a club where he is capable of adding to his glittering collection of trophies and individual honors. Obviously that club wouldn’t be United, not by a long shot.

According to the report, sources close to Ronaldo claim that while he maintains respect for both the club and its supporters, he is left wth no alternatives but to pursue a transfer on both sporting and personal grounds. It is also understood that Ronaldo and his family have been through a difficult period following the death of his infant son during childbirth in April – although it does stretch the imagination somewhat to try and figure out how this should lead to the striker needing to divorce himself from the club, unless it would be for a total change of scenery and a breath of fresh air.

Unquestionably one of the key protagonists in an otherwise disappointing season for the Red Devils, the Portuguese dynamo scored 24 goals in all competitions and 18 in the Premier League. United finished lamely at sixth after laying off Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November, with Rangnick assuming control temporarily until the end of the campaign before Ajax’s Erik ten Hag stepped in as the new permanent manager.

United’s failure to secure a top-four spot that would have secured Champions League football for next season had immediately prompted speculation that Ronaldo is now keen to move on to greener pastures, understandably, as the all-time international record goalscorer is keen to play at the highest level and United’s worrying regression in the league table isn’t exactly painting an optimistic picture for the center forward.

The current scenario regarding Ronaldo’s situation definitely casts a dark shadow over Erik ten Hag’s first month in charge of the club after taking over the reins from Rangnick, with a massive spanner being thrown into the United machinery, with the Dutchman’s squad rebuilding plans likely heading towards crisis mode. This is understandable as the 52-year-old had made it clear in his first press conference that he valued Ronaldo as an important part of his squad for next season.

Unfortunately now the United lead star’s desire and propensity to make a beeline for the exit is not looking good for Ten Hag, who has already seen Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic head for the exit. To lose a player of Ronaldo’s caliber, without any obvious replacements readily available in this summer transfer window, would force United’s hands into finding an immediate replacement.

Bayern Munich had earlier been perceived as one of the clubs interested in signing Ronaldo as the Bavarians’ talisman Robert Lewandowski is reportedly keen to join Barcelona this summer. June also saw reports suggesting Chelsea owner Todd Boehly being keen to explore the opportunity of signing Ronaldo in a sensational deal although United quickly issued a hangs-off warning.