Alex Ferguson holds private meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo over his Man Utd future
With Saturday’s 4-0 thumping at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester United’s slim top four hopes were mathematically extinguished. That makes the 2022 summer a very important one for Cristiano Ronaldo, who lives for those Champions League nights.
The No.7 hasn’t played at Europa League level since 2002/03, so staying with Manchester United for the rebuild under Erik ten Hag would be hard to stomach. Plus, the Dutchman’s tactical philosophy might not be suited to Ronaldo’s style, nor his age.
The Champions League will be without Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time in 20 years if he stays at Manchester United next season ❌ pic.twitter.com/lKOnSubA6G
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 7, 2022
Alex Ferguson, however, is keen for Ronaldo to remain at Old Trafford and has reportedly held private meetings with the superstar. According to The Mirror, the pair have had regular chats about his future in recent weeks, meeting at each other’s homes in Cheshire, where they live close to each other.
The Scot wants Ronaldo to “protect his legacy” with the Manchester United fanbase by staying for another season and not abandoning the team to join another club that is in the Champions League.
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United contract
In theory, Manchester United control Ronaldo’s future, since the contract he signed last summer runs for another year until the summer of 2023, while there is even an option for it to be extended to 2024. But, Ronaldo is powerful enough to force an exit if he wants it.
His contract at Manchester United is a lucrative one, as he is believed to be earning between £385,000 and £480,000 per week, before including goal bonuses. However, it has also been reported that a 25 percent pay cut will come into effect for most members of the Manchester United squad because of this season’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.
If he were to move on, there would be several clubs around the world willing to pay big bucks to bring in the Portuguese superstar. Another option that has been discussed is that of returning to his boyhood club Sporting CP, who have once again sealed qualification for the Champions League group stage.
These are all options that Ronaldo and the Manchester United bosses will have to consider over the coming weeks, just as the player and Alex Ferguson have been doing in their private meetings.
