Ronaldo’s potential Manchester United exit has been too well publicised to be done on the backburner. Erik ten Hag cannot allow this to consume his first summer.
But then the question arises – where would he go? It doesn’t seem as though United would be willing to sell to Chelsea. Bayern Munich have publicly ruled themselves out of signing him, but this could be in effort to drop the Portuguese’s salary demands. Jorge Mendes offering him to clubs left right and centre probably isn’t the best strategy when a club such as Bayern could view it as a desperation and put the ball in their own court. Barcelona surely have too much history to be an option whereas Real Madrid have a balanced front line and, classically, little time for sentiment. Italian clubs can unlikely afford him, and the once-interested Manchester City have just signed Erling Håland in his position. How about a sensational Ronaldo – Messi union in Paris? However you look at it, there’s not an easy solution on Ronaldo’s end.
But Ronaldo and Jorge Mendes will surely find a solution. They did so when he left Juventus last summer. He does have enough power and sway to be able to make his own calls on his future; even if options do appear thin.
Undoubtedly, this is not the best timing to mount a sensational public transfer request – from the club’s perspective at least. It undermines Ten Hag’s project before it even gets started. Whatever happens, Ronaldo’s future cannot be allowed to dominate the agenda for Ten Hag’s first summer. He needs to move forward from with his new project with everyone in the squad behind him. Either Ronaldo changes his mind and definitively decides to stay, or United must sell him. It’s not worth keeping a wantaway Ronaldo at the club. A solution is needed quickly, or the wheels in Ten Hag’s project will be turning against him before he’s even started.