Four reasons why Ronaldo will not leave Man Utd for Real Madrid
Robin Bairner
- 10 Dec 2021 12:39 CST
- 3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo only returned to Manchester United in August but barely three months after the fanfare of the Portugal joining the Old Trafford club for a second time, he has been linked with a move away.
The thinking is that new interim manager Ralf Rangnick will not have a place for ‘CR7’ in his system and that the door is opened for interested clubs to make a move.
Real Madrid are one such team being linked with Ronaldo. However, the prospects of the forward jumping ship to move back to the Bernabeu, where he is already the club record scorer, are virtually nil.
Here are four reasons why Man Utd fans can rest easy over the superstar.
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Ronaldo is too important to lose
While some critics suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is part of Manchester United’s long-term structural problems, he has become integral to their team this season.
With 11 goals in 17 matches, he is their leading scorer and has quickly re-established himself as the club’s talisman with several vital late goals.
In the short team, at least, Ronaldo has to be central to their project.
Rangnick issue overblown
Tied in with the first issue is the suggestion that Rangnick will be unwilling to find a place for Ronaldo in his plans.
It is true that the former RB Leipzig sporting director does like to see his team play with a high press, and it is true that Ronaldo will struggle to fit into such a system, but even Rangnick’s tactics can afford one defensive passenger – especially one who is so free scoring otherwise.
Ronaldo is not Rangnick’s dream centre forward and never will be, but that does not mean he will be dumped.
Won’t want to be seen as a failure
Ronaldo’s career has been about overcoming challenges in one form or another, and the one that Rangnick’s arrival poses at this point in his career is simply another one of those.
He will not want to leave Old Trafford after four months. Clearly, that would be seen as a failed move.
Ronaldo has returned to embellish his legacy at Old Trafford – not to tarnish it.
Madrid’s firepower
Real Madrid have no need for another centre forward with Karim Benzema filling the role quite nicely and being supported ably by Vini Jr.
With Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland both potentially on their way in the summer, it makes absolutely no sense to make a move for Ronaldo now when his future in the team would almost immediately be made unclear.
