Ronaldo risks sitting on bench all season - as Man Utd win four in a row without him
FT Desk
- 4 Sept 2022 18:26 BST
- 3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo was on the bench yet again for Manchester United's Premier League win over Arsenal on Sunday. It's a position he'd better get used to.
Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford last summer amid much fanfare, and kept up his end of the bargain - as far as he was concerned - in scoring a team-high 18 Premier League goals.
But Ronaldo's lack of pressing was part of broader problem which saw United finish sixth last term, missing out on the Champions League that Ronaldo so covets.
He then missed the pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia citing personal issues, and has cut a frustrated figure since, his last start for United a 4-0 loss at Brentford after which he stormed off the field, ignoring new manager Erik ten Hag.
🤬 Angry Ronaldo snubs Ten Hagpic.twitter.com/wFI3tck1ci
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 13, 2022
Ronaldo has a record 140 goals in the Champions League, something he wanted to extend this season. But Europe's elite baulked at a €24 million package for a potentially faltering 37-year-old.
Ronaldo to Rangers?!
After Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and the like distanced themselves from deals, it got to the point that Ronaldo was getting linked with last season's runners-up in Scotland, Rangers. At least he wouldn't have had to move house.
Ronaldo's team have put it out there that he has had a change of heart and is happy to stay at Old Trafford. He now has former Real Madrid teammates Raphael Varane and Casemiro for company, the latter recently completing an €80m move.
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But while Varane has replaced Harry Maguire in the starting line-up - something Ronaldo reportedly wanted to see happen last season - and Casemiro looks set to do the same to Scott McTominay in midfield eventually, Ronaldo has been sat on the bench for the last four games.
He came on for the final 32 minutes on Sunday against Arsenal, replacing goalscoring debutant Antony.
But Ronaldo made little impact as Marcus Rashford took centre stage to score twice and give United a 3-1 win, their fourth straight victory with Cristiano out of the team.
With United on a winning run, there is little chance of Ronaldo returning to the starting XI.
Common parlance for the end of the transfer window is that it "slams shut" on deadline day. But for Ronaldo it must feel like it. He has six more months of this at the least.
