Erik ten Hag reportedly wants Cristiano Ronaldo to remain at Manchester United and isn’t opposed to the idea of building his team around the legendary forward.
The Dutch coach will arrive at Old Trafford at the end of the season once he has wrapped up his tenure in charge of Ajax. Ten Hag is set to oversee a huge transformation of the Red Devils squad, with a number of arrivals and departures anticipated.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future has been under intense speculation, with many assuming that the 37-year-old may look to move on amid United’s poor season.
The five-time Balon d’Or winner made his return to the club from Juventus last summer and has a remarkable 18 goals in 29 Premier League appearances.
However, Ronaldo hasn’t been able to stop Manchester United’s fall from grace. The Red Devils have exited all the cup competitions and are set to miss out on a top-four finish.
According to Telegraph, the Dutchman is keen on retaining the services of the prolific striker and Ronaldo will be one of the first members of United’s squad that ten Hag talks to.
Ronaldo is not expected to start every game next season. Ten Hag is said to be considering his options in other areas of his squad, in an effort to get the best out of the veteran forward.
The Dutch coach feels it would be ‘foolish’ for the club to let the Portuguese go before his current deal expires.
Ten Hag and the United board, however, will not hold Ronaldo to fulfil his contract as he has a year left on his current deal. If the forward wishes to leave, the club are not expected to stand in his way.
Three major signings targeted to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United
The same reports claim that ten Hag is looking to bring in at least three top players in different areas of the United squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s impressive goalscoring feats this season have been heralded but it has also shone a light on United’s need to strengthen in attack this summer. The Red Devils have been linked with a number of attacking acquisitions with Benfica striker Darwin Nunez in their sights.
