Erik ten Hag, who will take over as manager of Manchester United in the summer, is said to want to keep star striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ten Hag’s hiring at Old Trafford has fueled speculation about Ronaldo’s future, who is under contract until June 2023 after making a stunning return to the club last year.
According to the Telegraph, United will be looking for a striker during the transfer season as part of Ten Hag’s rebuild, but the Dutchman wants the 37-year-old to stay.
According to the newspaper, Ten Hag feels that allowing Ronaldo, United’s top scorer this season with 24 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions, to follow numerous other players out the exit door would be counterproductive.
He’ll almost certainly be one of the first senior players Ten Hag speaks to after taking over at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who turns 38 in February 2023, recently debunked the story that he said “I’m not finished” following Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night.
Ronaldo has also been linked with Real Madrid, who signed him from United for a then-world-record fee of £80 million in 2009.
A number of Manchester United players, notably Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, and Jesse Lingard, are anticipated to leave at the end of the season.
