Cristiano Ronaldo‘s future remains one of the uncertainties hanging over Manchester United heading into the transfer deadline.
The Times reports United are open-minded to Ronaldo leaving, but the forward has struggled to find a club.
Top European sides like Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid have distanced themselves from Ronaldo and there is no obvious solution for him.
One of the controversial exit plans considered earlier in the transfer window was Chelsea.
READ MORE: Confirmed Manchester United transfers, ins, outs, loans, releases for 2022/23
Rangnick scuppered Ronaldo move
Chelsea’s interest in Ronaldo was pushed by the club’s new owner Todd Boehly, with The Athletic reporting in late June that the American had met with agent Jorge Mendes.
The move fell through when manager Thomas Tuchel said he did not want Ronaldo, and The Times report Ralf Rangnick had a part to play in that.
The newspaper report: “Thomas Tuchel — advised by his friend Rangnick — opposed the transfer.”
Rangnick managed Ronaldo for six months at Manchester United, and while the Portuguese star scored regularly, the interim boss was open in admitting the superstar was unhelpful to his preferred playing style.
He told The Athletic: “Cristiano scored a few goals but, again, Cristiano — and I’m not blaming him at all, he did great in those games – but he’s not a pressing monster. He’s not a player – even when he was a young player – he was not a young player who was crying, shouting “Hurray, the other team has got the ball, where can we win balls?”
Tuchel does need to sign a new striker at Chelsea, still, but he won’t want a short-term fix, not one who doesn’t fit his playing style.
For United, it’s for the best. Nobody wants to see him wearing the shirt of another Premier League club. He may be stuck at Old Trafford, and have to try and make good for the rest of the season, or at least until January.
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