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Cristiano Ronaldo: Firm on exit but ready to train

United brass apparently insists their star forward stay at the club

Reuters Manchester Published 28.07.22, 03:52 AM
Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo File Photo

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would resume training with his Manchester United teammates at Carrington until a permanent solution on his future at the club is found, according to reports in the British media.

The reports were said to be based on inputs provided by the Spanish journalist Manu Sainz late on Tuesday evening after conflicting information that trickled out following the lengthy talks between Ronaldo and United manager Erik ten Hag.

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The United brass apparently insisted that their star forward would stay at the club; Ronaldo, as per the initial reports, again made clear his intention to leave as he wishes to play in the Champions League.

The Portuguese star scored 24 goals in all competitions for United last season as they finished sixth in the league and missed out on Champions League qualification. Sainz, said to be close to Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes, who had accompanied the Portugal captain to Manchester, said that Ronaldo had been present at Carrington and had amicable discussion with teammates, even speaking of training together.

The reports suggested that Ronaldo would continue training “with total professionalism” for as long as he is still a United player. Sainz also said that Ronaldo’s teammates gave him a warm welcome back into the training ground and filled him in on the developments surrounding their tour of Thailand and Australia.

Ronaldo missed United’s pre-season tour under the new leadership, citing family reasons. Ten Hag had in Bangkok said Ronaldo was “not for sale” and emphasised that the 37-year-old remained in his plans. During Tuesday’s talks, which were described by Sainz as “tense”, Mendes and Ronaldo’s personal manager, Ricardo Regufe, presented United’s executives — chief executive officer Richard Arnold, and Sir Alex Ferguson — with a number of options to grant Ronaldo’s parting wishes. Ronaldo’s relationship with the Champions League is no secret.

He would love to continue breaking records in Europe for as long as he is capable of playing at the highest level. But his high wages remain a deterrent. Atletico Madrid are reportedly still considering an offer though they have not stated anything concrete. If he stays with United, Ronaldo will have to play in the Europa League, the second tier of European football, next season — a stage that the star player is yet to be seen on.

On Wednesday, Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn revealed that the German champions had internally discussed the possibility of signing Ronaldo but decided not to pursue the idea. “We discussed this issue because otherwise we would not be doing our job properly,” Kahn told Germany’s SportBild magazine.

“I personally consider Cristiano Ronaldo one of the greatest footballers ever on this planet. “But we came to the conclusion that despite all the appreciation for Cristiano, he would not have fit in our philosophy in the current situation,” Kahn said. For Ten Hag, a quick resolution to the Ronaldo saga is imperative with United less than two weeks away from starting their Premier League campaign against Brighton at home on August 7.

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