BREAKING: Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester to hold private Erik ten Hag talks after ‘positive sign’
On Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo will have his first encounter with Erik ten Hag.
Cristiano Ronaldo will return to England on Monday as he gets ready for tense negotiations with Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United.
After a fairly successful preseason tour, United will be back at Carrington on Tuesday, and Ronaldo’s choice to come home is seen by the club as a “good indicator.”
The 37-year-old striker is returning to England for crucial negotiations with United, during which he will reportedly meet Ten Hag for the first time in person.
The club has steadfastly maintained that he is not available for transfer and will play a significant role in the 2021/22 season despite the player having informed the team of his wish to leave this summer.
As United ramp up their preparations for the start of the new campaign in less than two weeks, Ronaldo will meet with Ten Hag in person in the coming days.
Whether he will practice with the Dutchman’s team at Carrington on Tuesday is uncertain, but his choice to return to Manchester is considered by people inside the club as a positive indication.
According to people familiar with the issue, it’s becoming more and more likely that Ronaldo will fulfill the second and last year of his contract at Old Trafford.
But once he meets Ten Hag, who claimed repeatedly throughout United’s preseason trip that Ronaldo was a part of his ambitions and not for sale, his destiny will become a lot clearer.
The Portugal international wanted to leave United less than a year after rejoining from Juventus and skipped the tour for “family reasons.” With 13 goals scored while he was away, the Red Devils excelled in Thailand and Australia, winning three of the four games (including a 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool) and drawing the fourth.
While Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo’s agent, searched Europe for possible escape routes, Ronaldo remained in Lisbon. Atletico Madrid has recently emerged as his most likely destination after conversations with Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, but all three have downplayed their interest in signing him.
The failure of United to make the Champions League this year—a competition Ronaldo has dominated throughout his stellar career—has fueled his desire to depart.
He demonstrated his desire to stay in the Champions League by turning down an offer from Saudi Arabia that was worth more than £200 million over two years.
If the Old Trafford legend is available for the Premier League opener against Brighton & Hove Albion, Ten Hag may struggle with his selection due to the player’s lack of match sharpness.
Particularly when combined with the brilliant preseason performances of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and Anthony Martial.
