Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag criticized players who left Old Trafford before the end of Sunday's friendly fixture against Rayo Vallecano, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

ESPN's Rob Dawson reported Ronaldo and full-back Diogo Dalot were among the players photographed leaving the stadium before the final whistle, which drew the ire of United's new coach on Tuesday.

"It is unacceptable for everyone," Ten Hag told Viaplay Sport Netherlands. "I am telling them it's unacceptable. We are a team. A squad. Until the end we stay together."

Ronaldo has spent most of the summer awaiting a transfer that would allow him to compete in the UEFA Champions League this season, but a move hasn't materialized.

AS' Manuel Sainz reported Monday (via Alex Turk of the Daily Express), the 37-year-old forward's agent, Jorge Mendes, has been trying to generate transfer talks with top European clubs to no avail.

Meanwhile, the club has maintained there are no plans to sell Ronaldo, even if interest does arrive, and that stance didn't change following Sunday's walkout, per Jeremy Cross and Jacob Leeks of the Daily Mirror.

So, barring a massive twist in the coming days, the five-time Ballon d'Or will remain on the Red Devils roster as they open the Premier League term Sunday by hosting Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ronaldo recorded 18 goals and three assists across 30 Premier League appearances for United last season. He added six goals in seven UCL matches.

His return to Old Trafford, where he previously played from 2003 through 2009, came after stints with Real Madrid and Juventus. He's two goals away from 700 across all competitions in his club career.

The start of the new season will carry added importance as he attempts to find peak form before joining the Portugal national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November.

For now, that effort appears it'll happen under Ten Hag with United despite his desire to find a transfer solution.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United lasted about 45 minutes before things potentially turned tense again.

According to ESPN's Rob Dawson, Ronaldo left Sunday's preseason friendly against Rayo Vallecano before the match concluded after he was substituted at halftime.

Per that report, "He was pictured leaving Old Trafford before the final whistle, with United sources afterward refusing to comment on whether his early exit was sanctioned by manager Erik ten Hag."

Jamie Jackson of the Guardian added: "As half-time neared there appeared a mild contretemps between Ten Hag and Ronaldo during a break in play: The manager seemed to be addressing some positional deficiency which the player shrugged. In a period that petered out this was the last noteworthy sighting of Ronaldo as Ten Hag swapped him for Diallo for the second half."

Per Dawson, Ronaldo has been seeking an exit this summer to secure Champions League football for the upcoming season. Manchester United finished sixth last year and didn't qualify.

Thus far, however, no transfer has occurred, and publicly, the club have maintained that they want to keep the iconic striker.

"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season, and that's it. I'm looking forward to working with him," Ten Hag told reporters earlier in July. "I have read [that he wants to leave], but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale; he is in our plans, and we want success together."

Clubs such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Ronaldo's first club, Sporting CP, have been linked to the forward in transfer rumors throughout the summer. All could offer Champions League football.

Thus far—perhaps because of Ronaldo's large wages, or United's reported disinclination to sell—no move has materialized.

Ronaldo appeared resigned to the fact that he would be remaining at Old Trafford in a series of social media posts over the weekend:

But Sunday's early departure—at least until United offer clarity on the situation—is only going to re-stoke the flames that Ronaldo is still pushing to leave the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo reiterated to Manchester United executives this week his preference to join another club this summer, according to The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell.

Per that report, Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, is "working to establish exit routes from Old Trafford, and The Athletic understands talks have been held with Sporting Lisbon," Ronaldo's former club that finished second in Portugal's Primeira Liga last season and will have Champions League football this year.

A transfer to his first professional club may not be realistic, however. As Whitwell noted, "finding the finance for such a move—including covering his high wages—would be complex and it is said head coach Ruben Amorim has reservations about bringing Ronaldo into his team given the huge change in dynamic the 37-year-old would inevitably cause."

Additionally, Manchester United executives remain uninterested in selling Ronaldo this summer, per that report.

But while Ronaldo reported Tuesday to United for medical testing, he has been training away from the team and didn't join them on the preseason tour. With the club's Premier League season opening Aug. 7 against Brighton Hove & Albion, Ronaldo's absence has become a major concern.

That is compounded by the fact that new manager Erik ten Hag is attempting to institute his system ahead of the season. Ronaldo hasn't worked with his teammates or his new manager on the pitch, though he has been training in Portugal, per Whitwell.

Ronaldo's combination of wages and limitations on the pitch—while he scored 18 goals in 30 Premier League appearances last season, he doesn't offer the defensive work rate needed for the popular high-pressing style many managers want to play—have seemed to keep high-profile clubs at bay this summer.

While Ronaldo wants Champions League football, clubs like Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG and Chelsea have reportedly—or in some cases, very publicly—declined to pursue him.

It's all a major concern for United, which already is thin up top at the striker position and hoping to avoid another disastrous campaign like last season in which it finished sixth.

Some resolution on Ronaldo's situation would go a long way toward aiding that effort.

Cristiano Ronaldo spent a good portion of his career starring for La Liga giants Real Madrid. And despite rumors that he might join one of that club's primary rivals, Atletico Madrid, as he reportedly seeks an exit from Manchester United this summer, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo put a halt to that conversation on Tuesday.

"I've said it many times. I don't know who invented the story about Cristiano. But I'll tell you, it's practically impossible for him to come to Atletico Madrid," he told reporters.

Cerezo told reporters last month that Atletico needed to clear around €40 million ($40.5 million) from departures in order to bring new players in this summer. The club has signed Axel Witsel on a free transfer, while right-back Nahuel Molina appears poised to be the next addition.

Ronaldo's name has popped up alongside a number of prominent European clubs thus far in the summer transfer window. Bayern Munich, despite losing superstar forward Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, didn't bite:

ESPN's Julien Laurens reported on July 12 that PSG were given the chance to bring Ronaldo on board after his agent, Jorge Mendes, met with sporting director Luis Campos and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. They turned down the opportunity.

Two days later, ESPN's James Olley reported that Chelsea—in need of a central forward—took themselves out of the running for Ronaldo as well.

And now Atletico Madrid are pulling out of contention.

Throughout the entire saga, Manchester United has maintained that it isn't interested in letting the 37-year-old forward leave.

"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that's it," United manager Erik ten Hag told reporters earlier in July. "I'm looking forward to working with him. I have read [that he wants to leave], but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale, he is in our plans and we want success together."

Ronaldo hasn't lost his scoring touch. He found the back of the net 18 times and added three assists in Premier League action last season.

But Ronaldo's age, wages and his inability (or unwillingness) to operate as a defensive contributor in a high-pressing tactical system has perhaps soured him for high-profile teams around Europe. At this stage, Ronaldo is an expensive poacher, capable of scoring goals but offering less in other areas of the game.

So as the summer wears on, a return to Manchester United feels more and more likely.

Superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly discuss his future with Manchester United with club officials at the training ground on Tuesday.

According to ESPN, Ronaldo formally requested that Manchester United let him leave the club this summer so that he can compete in the UEFA Champions League next season. United missed out on the Champions League after a sixth-place finish in the English Premier League.

Ronaldo was granted permission by the club to skip its tour of Thailand and Australia for personal reasons, meaning he has not yet worked with new manager Erik ten Hag, who replaced interim manager Ralf Rangnick in May.

Last year, Ronaldo signed a deal with Manchester United running through June 2023, marking the start of his second stint with the club.

He previously played for Man Utd from 2003-2009, scoring 118 goals across all competitions, before moving to Real Madrid.

It was with Real Madrid that Ronaldo established himself as an all-time great, scoring 450 goals in 438 matches across all competitions. He followed that up with 101 goals in 134 matches over three seasons with Juventus.

The 37-year-old Ronaldo reportedly has limited transfer options even though Manchester United are open to accommodating him if a club would be willing to take on the final year of his contract.

Per ESPN, Manchester United want to move him outside the EPL, but Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have ruled out the possibility of acquiring him. Even EPL rival Chelsea are against the idea of pursuing him.

While Ronaldo can still contribute at a high level, as evidenced by his 18 goals in 30 EPL matches last season, his £500,000-per-week contract will be the main sticking point for most clubs.

Ronaldo is a five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League, but the Portuguese star has not hoisted the trophy since 2018.

If Manchester United are unable to find a willing taker, Ronaldo may have to go without the Champions League this season, play out his deal with Man Utd, and attempt to get them back in the Champions League field for next season.

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is on his way back to England to have discussions with the club regarding his future, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein.

"Sources around the matter suggest it is increasingly likely that Ronaldo remains at United, but there is still a lack of clarity about the situation," per Ornstein.

Ronaldo didn't join the Red Devils as they embarked on their preseason tours of Australia and Thailand. Ornstein and Adam Crafton reported on July 3 the 37-year-old had communicated his desire to leave the club should a reasonable transfer offer surface.

A move would benefit both parties.

Playing on a club in the Europa League may not be all that attractive for the Portuguese star at this stage of his career. On the other side, first-year United manager Erik ten Hag would have one fewer headache as he attempts to right the ship at Old Trafford.

The problem is, the market for Ronaldo's services may not be all that strong.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner led Manchester United with 18 goals in the Premier League, but his overall contributions didn't exactly lift up the side. His presence also pushed younger stars such as Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford more to the periphery.

If you're a major European club with aspirations of winning the Champions League or your domestic league, Ronaldo may not be worth the hassle anymore.

Chelsea reportedly decided against a move and signed Raheem Sterling. Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn ruled it out as well. Per the Daily Mail's Simon Jones, Ronaldo's agent has worked behind the scenes to accelerate a deal with Atletico Madrid, but that has come to nothing so far.

Unless Ronaldo and Manchester United are willing to rip up his contract—one that pays him an estimated £510,000 a week—they might have to make do for this season.

Despite persistent rumors that Cristiano Ronaldo is seeking a transfer away from Manchester United this summer, his new manager, Erik ten Hag, suggested to reporters on Monday not only that the star striker may stay, but that he could even extend his contract.

"I am well informed he also has an option [to extend his contract until 2024], no?" he said, per Rob Dawson of ESPN. "Of course, I have signed here for three years, but in football, it's short-term as well. We have to win from the start. So I don't look that far ahead. I have a strategy, it's a process, it takes time, but in the end, we have to make sure from the outset there is a winning team."

It would certainly appear that ten Hag is set on having Ronaldo at forward for this coming season.

"We all know Ronaldo is a top professional and he will be fit, that is the last concern I have. He is training," he added while speaking to Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic. "I have set my demand. We want to play in a certain way. A top player can contribute and Ronaldo is an absolute top player in our squad. Cristiano is capable of doing that. In his career, he has shown everything."

Granted, much of this could be posturing on ten Hag's part to help United get the best possible return for Ronaldo if a transfer is negotiated and a top European club is willing to match Ronaldo's reportedly steep contract.

The latest club linked to Ronaldo have been Atletico Madrid:

Reports have suggested that Ronaldo wants to play Champions League football next year, hence his reported desire to seek a move away from Old Trafford. Add in the fact that United reportedly were a mess last season under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, finishing just sixth in the Premier League, and it wouldn't come as a shock if Ronaldo wanted a change in scenery.

But replacing him wouldn't be easy. While Ronaldo doesn't offer much in the way of pressing at this stage in his career and is far better served as a central forward than the winger role he played in his prime, the 37-year-old still managed 18 goals in 30 Premier League appearances last season.

The once dynamic Ronaldo is more a poacher at this stage in his career, though given his scoring record, he's clearly effective playing that style.

Ronaldo's game may conflict with the high-pressing style and 4-3-3 formation ten Hag often employed at United, though as Whitwell noted, the new manager has set up United in a 4-2-3-1 upon his arrival to better suit the options available to him.

This ongoing saga will remain one of the major storylines of the summer until the transfer window closes. But for now, it appears United's new manager is set on keeping the legendary forward at Old Trafford.

Manchester United has added midfielder Christian Eriksen on a three-year deal after his contract with Brentford expired last month.

The Red Devils announced Eriksen's signing on Friday:

“Manchester United is a special club, and I cannot wait to get started," Eriksen said in the club's announcement. "I have had the privilege of playing at Old Trafford many times, but to do it in the red shirt of United will be an amazing feeling."

The move has been expected, as The Athletic's David Ornstein reported on July 4 that Eriksen verbally agreed to join Manchester United.

The club offered Eriksen a deal in June, shortly before his deal with Brentford was set to expire. He signed with the Bees in January on a six-month contract in his comeback after going into cardiac arrest on the pitch during Denmark's opening match in Euro 2020 against Finland.

In a February interview with the BBC, Eriksen said he "was gone from this world for five minutes" before medical staff was able to revive him.

Over 11 appearances with Brentford, Eriksen scored one goal and had four assists.

Eriksen previously had stints with Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan. He combined to score 80 goals in 382 appearances between the three clubs from 2010 to 2021.

He made 26 appearances (17 starts) in the 2020-21 season with Inter, helping them win Italy's Serie A. He also won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and was named in the 2017-18 PFA Team of the Year while with Tottenham.

The Daily Mirror's David McDonnell noted that Eriksen won't immediately join his new club during the preseason tour in Australia.

"Instead, he will work on his fitness at United's Carrington training base, before meeting his new team-mates when they return from the tour," McDonnell wrote.

The Red Devils defeated Melbourne Victory, 4-1, as part of their Australian tour on Friday. They will also take on Crystal Palace (July 19) and Aston Villa (July 23) in Australia before returning to Europe to face Atletico Madrid in Oslo, Norway.

Eriksen's first opportunity to play at his new home, Old Trafford, will come July 31 against Rayo Vallecano.

Chelsea has reportedly removed itself from discussions about signing superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo away from Premier League rival Manchester United.

ESPN's James Olley reported Thursday that Blues manager Thomas Tuchel has "huge admiration" for Ronaldo, but he reached the conclusion he'd "prefer to pursue other options to strengthen their attack" during the summer transfer window.

Ronaldo requested a transfer from Manchester United in early July because of his desire to play in the UEFA Champions League, per Duncan Castles of The Times. The Red Devils fell 13 points shy of UCL qualification for the 2022-23 season.

United manager Erik ten Hag said Monday the 37-year-old Portugal international is away from the club for the start of preseason preparations because of a personal matter, but he confirmed the expectation he'll remain at Old Trafford.

"No, we are planning with Ronaldo for this season, so that's it, and I am looking forward to working with him," Ten Hag told reporters. "I don't know. He hasn't told me this, so I have read, but what I say [is] Cristiano is not for sale. He's in our plans, and we want to get success together."

French outlet RMC Sport reported (via Melissa Edwards of Sports Illustrated) that Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli were among the clubs to show initial interest in Ronaldo.

Bruno Ferreira of CNN Portugal added Wednesday (via Nathan Ridley of the Daily Mirror) that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner received a €300 million offer to leave Europe to play in Saudi Arabia on a two-year contract.

So far there's no indication an agreement with any club is close, though there's plenty of time left before the transfer window closes in early September.

Meanwhile, Manchester United opened its six-fixture preseason schedule with a 4-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday. It'll kick off the Premier League term Aug. 7 when it hosts Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ronaldo recorded 24 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions for United last season. It's his second stint with the club after a previous stay from 2003 through 2009.

Ligue 1 giant Paris Saint-Germain has turned down an offer to sign Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, according to ESPN's Julien Laurens.

Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, offered him to PSG, but the Parisians don't feel the Portuguese forward "is the right signing at this moment" and "the club doesn't have enough space in their wage bill to pay him," Laurens added.

It would not make sense for the Parisians to pursue Ronaldo with an attack that already includes Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. The club's new manager, Christophe Galtier, will already have a tough enough time putting those three on the pitch together as he prefers a three-man defense, which will result in the club running a 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 formation.

In addition to PSG, Bayern Munich turned down the opportunity to sign Ronaldo this summer. Oliver Kahn, CEO of the Bundesliga powerhouse, said earlier this month that adding the 37-year-old would not "fit with our philosophy."

"As much as I appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest, a transfer would not fit into our philosophy," Kahn told German magazine Kicker.

Premier League side Chelsea have also shown interest in Ronaldo this summer, with new owner Todd Boehly having met with his agent to discuss the possibility of the Portuguese international joining the club.

However, Blues manager Thomas Tuchel is "reluctant" to bring in Ronaldo for 2022-23, according to the Daily Mail's Joe Bernstein.

Ronaldo requested a transfer from Manchester United earlier this month, according to Duncan Castles of The Times. He is said to be frustrated by the club's lack of activity in the transfer market this summer and also wants to play for a team that competes in the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester United finished the 2021-22 season sixth in the Premier League table, and the Red Devils were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 with a 2-1 loss on aggregate to Atletico Madrid.

The Red Devils will not compete in the Champions League in 2022-23 following this year's disappointing finish.

Despite rumors surrounding Ronaldo, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has insisted that he is off limits, telling reporters earlier this week that he is still very much a part of the club's strategy.

"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that's it. I'm looking forward to working with him. I have read [that he wants to leave], but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale, he is in our plans and we want success together.

"I spoke with him before this issue came up, I had a conversation with him and I had a good talk. That is between Cristiano and me, what I can confirm is we had a really good conversation together."

Ronaldo also reiterated his commitment to the Red Devils last month, saying the club will soon be championship-caliber once again and that his motivation is to "carry on" and keep "working hard."

Ronaldo is in his second stint with Manchester United after having played for the club from 2003 to 2009 before moving on to play for La Liga's Real Madrid and Serie A's Juventus. During the 2021-22 campaign, he tallied 24 goals across all competitions.