Krishnan Sreekumar
Transfer News: Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo could return to Real Madrid amidst Erik ten Hag uncertainty
According to the Mirror, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo could make a shock return to his former club Real Madrid in the summer amid uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford with the impending arrival of Erik ten Hag.
ten Hag will take over the English club at the end of the season when interim manager Ralf Rangnick sees his tenure as head coach expire in the summer. The Dutchman is currently in charge of Ajax Amsterdam in the Eredivisie.
Although Ronaldo only moved back to United last summer, his time at the Theatre of Dreams could be up very soon with the change in manager. Thus far, he has played under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick, and could very well play under ten Hag as well – all within the space of a year.
With the Red Devils sitting in sixth position in the Premier League table, they are in danger of missing out on qualifying for the Champions League next term. The lack of UCL football could be another reason forcing Ronaldo to seek an immediate exit.
New United future under ten Hag
The biggest factor, however, in the Portugal skipper’s possible departure from the Manchester club is whether incoming new boss ten Hag sees Ronaldo as being part of his plans beyond the summer. The incumbent Ajax manager is looking to build a future on high energy and youth. Unfortunately for the player, that could mean that he would not be guaranteed to play every game.
Real could provide the 37-year-old with an escape route in this case, as influential officials at the Santiago Bernabeu have been impressed with the forward’s displays in the Premier League. The Spanish giants are looking for someone to guarantee goals for them next season, and who better than the man who holds the record for the most official goals scored in the history of the sport?
ten Hag’s arrival ahead of the new campaign has given United fans reasons to be optimistic about their future, but that could also mean the end of the club’s association with Ronaldo. The attacker has stood out as the sole shining light in the outfield during the current season.
If not for the Portugal international’s goals this term, the Red Devils would not have made it to the knockout stages of the Champions League or grabbed points against rival teams in the Premier League. Alongside David de Gea, Ronaldo is perhaps the only other player to hold his head up high during a terrible season for the Manchester side.
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Real’s interest in their former player could prove to be something that Ronaldo may not be able to turn down, given that Madrid fans would happily welcome him back. Although the La Liga champions are aiming to sign Kylian Mbappe as their new man up front, a deal for CR7 could cost them just around £10m.
United’s loss could be Real’s gain, but nothing is certain until ten Hag takes over at Old Trafford and assesses his squad. A conversation between the new manager and player would certainly be pending, and only time will tell if it proves to be the difference between the club legend staying on for another year or leaving.
