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| (L-R) Michal Sadilek of Czech Republic, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal during the UEFA Nations league match between Portugal v Czech Republic at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on June 9, 2022. |
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly told Manchester
United that he wants to leave the Premier League club, just one season after
his emotional return to Old Trafford.
The iconic Portuguese forward was known to be
understandably underwhelmed as United struggled so badly in his first campaign
back in English football.
And it had been widely known that he was demanding
activity in the current transfer window before committing to the second year of
the contract he signed in 2021.
That was a two-year deal, with a club option to
extend it for one more year.
But it has been widely accepted that, given
Ronaldo’s status, the decision of whether to see out the second year would lie
entirely with him.
Now, claim the reports, he has decided that he does
not wish to remain at a club that struggled in finishing sixth in the Premier
League last season and which has yet to add a new summer signing.
For the first time since 2010, United went through
the month of June without having added a new player in the summer window.
And, although deals are on-going for midfielder
Frenkie de Jong, left-back Tyrell Malacia and Ajax centre-half Lisandro
Martinez, United have yet to complete any of them for new manager Erik ten Hag.
Significantly, reports in Germany recently claimed
Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes had “offered” Ronaldo to Bayern Munich – with the
German club publicly refuting any interest.
And Mendes was
seen in meetings with new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, although given
the agent’s standing in the game, any number of targets could have been under
discussion.
The 37-year-old striker was one of the few
successful elements of United’s disastrous 2021-22, easily ending the campaign
as the club’s top scorer, with 18 Premier League goals and 24 in all
competitions.
His possible departure would also present Ten Hag
with a major headache in terms of a quality replacement, with the club leaving
on their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia on Friday.
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