Ten Hag: “Ronaldo is not for sale”. CR7 wants a change of scenery and the rumors go crazy

by our correspondent Davide Chinellato

July 11
– LONDON

The official version has not changed: “Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale”. Erik ten Hag repeats it over and over again, pressured by questions from journalists in Bangkok, where tomorrow at 3 pm he will make his debut as Manchester United manager in the first friendly of the season against Liverpool. But CR7’s absence from the tour and market rumors following his desire to leave Manchester are the main topic of conversation.

ronaldo

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“Cristiano is not with us for personal reasons – explains ten Hag, who has 31 players with him but not the Portuguese phenomenon -. We are planning the season with CR7 and I can’t wait to work with him”. The new Red Devils coach reveals that he spoke with the Portuguese for the last time before rumors of his desire to change the air dominated the conversation, coming to obscure the beginning of the new era of United. “I won’t reveal what we said to each other, but ours was an excellent conversation – continues ten Hag -. He didn’t tell me he wants to leave: I read it, but he didn’t tell me. And our position it’s always the same: Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale, it’s part of our plans and we want to win together. ”

market

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The reality, however, seems distant from the official version. Because CR7 wants a change of scenery and with his agent Jorge Mendes is looking for a team willing to make an offer to United, with whom the Portuguese still has a contract year with a salary reduced by 25% compared to last season because the Red Devils are not are qualified for the Champions League, the competition that the 37-year-old Portuguese does not want to miss. The proposals that his agent sent to Bayern Munich, Barcelona, ​​Chelsea, Rome and according to the English press also to Naples have not received a positive response for now, and both CR7 and United remain in this impasse. Although the Red Devils, away from the spotlight, are starting to make plans to replace him.

wanted forwards

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“We are looking for midfielders, a role in which we need, and forwards – confirms ten Hag, while not expressly speaking of the replacement of Ronaldo -: this season will be different from the others, with the World Cup in winter, so we will need more players than normal”. United have so far bought Tyler Malacia (“The perfect example of the modern full-back” ten Hag welcomes him), is about to close with Christian Eriksen and has an open conversation with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong and with Ajax for Lisandro Martinez and Anthony . But the Ronaldo case is what everyone wants to talk about. The one that blocks everything, even the birth of the new United.