Premier League Shorts

Manchester United’s appointment of Erik ten Hag just before the end of the 2021/22 season was perhaps one of the few highlights in what was a dismal season characterised by a deluge of unsavoury issues including rumours of dressing room unrest, dissatisfaction of players with training methods, and a damning lack of application on the field where it mattered most for the players and fans of the club.

The enthusiasm that greeted the Dutchman’s arrival has lingered for much of the summer and decent performances, as well as results by his newly shaped side in pre-season games, have brought back the ‘feel good’ factor despite the relentless cloud of uncertainty surrounding arguably the club’s best player – Ronaldo.

The Portuguese who has been unequivocal about his desire to leave for pastures anew in search of Champions League football suddenly became a distraction for a club that hardly needed more negative scrutiny than they had endured all season. Ten Hag who under normal circumstances should be focused on building and forging harmony in a fragile team soon found himself repeatedly having to respond to questions about a Portuguese star who had hardly had a training session under his tutelage.

Days before United were to play their last pre-season game against Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano, Ronaldo announced on social media that he was in line to make an appearance and United fans would have been forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief and thinking that their mercurial forward had had a change of heart and decided to stay but their optimism would have been short-lived when images of Ronaldo leaving Old Trafford at the end of the first half made the rounds on social media.

It is clear that Ronaldo is still quite adamant about leaving and while United’s stance in public would indicate that they are keen to keep him at the club, there is no doubt that they’d secretly be hoping for a quick resolution that should see their prized asset make a switch abroad rather than sell him to a rival in the Premier League. The problem however, for Ronaldo and the club is that none of the big clubs in Europe are currently enticed enough by the pedigree of the five-time Ballon D’Or winner to make a move.

Furthermore, Ronaldo’s wages (which is rumoured to be about £385,000 per week) could be a stumbling block for teams that might even be secretly contemplating the idea of bringing the 37 year old to their fold. For United, keeping an unhappy player at the club is the last thing they’d want to do because of the negative implications that could have in the dressing room.

It does seem increasingly likely now that tearing up Ronaldo’s contract and parting ways with the striker might and should be the most feasible option except a team bids for him before the end of the transfer window on 2 September. It’s an option the club should take now rather than wait until it’s too late.

Abiye Opuamah

Abiye Opuamah is an editor and a massive football enthusiast who also dabbles now and again in writing flash fiction pieces, playing chess against the machine and almost always roots for the underdog. He lives in Johannesburg.