Manchester United had endured a disappointing campaign after Cristiano Ronaldo made a sensational return to Old Trafford last year despite the five-time Ballon d’Or Award winner scoring 24 goals across 38 games in all competitions.
Ronaldo was however reported to have taken the decision to leave Old Trafford in pursuit of a Champions League football as he was also believed to be unconvinced with United’s rebuilding project despite the club unwilling to release the 37-year-old Portuguese thus leading to disagreement between the two parties.
National Daily previously reported that the former Real Madrid forward has failed to join United in their tour of Asia and Australia as the club prepare for the new 2022-23 season while citing ‘family reasons’, but the forward has returned to the UK for citing for crunch talks with the Red Devils hierarchy on Tuesday.
Amazingly, the Portugal legend has found interest from other European giants hard to come by perhaps due to his high wages.
And with United’s efforts to convince Ronaldo to reverse his decision to quit Old Trafford, United’s former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who boasts of a close relationship with the Portugal international following their six years together at Old Trafford, had made a rare appearance at Carrington on Tuesday with the belief to be involved in the talks in some capacity, while also attending a board meeting with chief executive Richard Arnold.
Disappointingly, United were reported to have failed in their bid to attain Ronaldo’s reconsideration of his future at Old Trafford after it has been widely reported that the 37-year-old is still adamant about his decision and will try to force his way out of the club before the transfer deadline.
Meanwhile, Ferguson’s gesture may not have gone well with most people especially as former England international Darren Bent says the ‘circus’ around Ronaldo can only be bad news for Ten Hag’s preparations for the season and claims Fergie should ‘step back’ to avoid the risk of undermining United’s new manager National Daily can confirm.
Speaking talkSPORT, the former Tottenham attacker maintained ‘Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager in Manchester United’s history, the greatest manager in Premier League history,’
‘I don’t know what it would be like having someone like that overseeing you on the decision you make.
‘You look at Ralf [Rangnick], he made some tame decisions, and there was a big story about that, saying Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have done it.
‘I don’t think Erik ten Hag needs that. It would be nice to see Fergie step back from it and let Ten Hag have a real go.
‘If he [Ronaldo] can’t report because he has family issues, I understand that. But I don’t think the whole circus has done Erik ten Hag any favours.
‘Especially given Ten Hag has come out and said he wants to build his team around Ronaldo. Can you build a team around someone who has made it evidently clear they don’t want to be there?
‘I don’t think you can. You try and get as much money for him, you let him go, and then try and move forward with the squad that you have.’
Former Manchester United striker Alan Brazil defender Ferguson, however, and said everything he does is out of love for the club.
‘He [Sir Alex Ferguson] cares greatly about Manchester United,’ he said. ‘I don’t think he is undermining Ten Hag at all, it is just his love for United.
‘Ronaldo is a great player and professional, and I don’t think Fergie has done anything wrong here.’