Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at Old Trafford, as per journalist Simon Stone.
He told reporters in his pre-match press conference ahead of their clash with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on September 1:
“It is clear. We need quality players. You need more to cover all the games.”
There has been huge speculation over the future of Ronaldo, who has reportedly asked the club to consider selling him if a reasonable offer is made.
No concrete interest has been shown in the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, with the likes of Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Atletico Madrid backing out of moves.
The five-time UEFA Champions League winner only returned to Old Trafford last summer from Juventus for £13.5 million.
He managed an impressive 24 goals in 38 appearances but his future was left uncertain following Manchester United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League for this campaign.
Ten Hag’s side’s stance throughout the transfer saga has been that the player is not for sale.
Cristiano Ronaldo has remained tight-lipped on speculation. However, he did leave a response on an Instagram account telling fans that the truth would soon come out.
The veteran forward has a year left on his current deal with Manchester United, with the option to extend for a further year.
He has been dropped by Ten Hag for the Red Devils’ last two fixtures, which has seen the side pick up their first two victories of the season.
The Portuguese star started United’s 4-0 thrashing away at Brentford and looked dejected as he trudged off the pitch, ignoring the club’s supporters.
Cristiano Ronaldo set to stay at Manchester United
The Cristiano Ronaldo saga looks like it’s finally ending and not the way in which many had envisioned it.
There was a strong feeling the veteran striker would be departing when reports broke that he wanted out of Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s stance in public appeared to be that they were not willing to part ways with the legendary striker.
But as the saga grew on, so did Ten Hag’s obvious frustrations with the situation.
The situation regarding Ronaldo’s future has become a nuisance for Ten Hag, who has just got started in a rebuilding job.
Many had believed that Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped to the bench was a sign that he was headed out of the club.
Instead, the Red Devils now perhaps have an unsettled superstar in their team, with Ten Hag being tasked the job of maintaining harmony with Ronaldo in their side.