Erik ten Hag’s nightmare start as Manchester United manager is set to go from bad to worse after Cristiano Ronaldo promised to reveal “the truth” in an interview at the end of the transfer window.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “The media is telling lies. I have a notebook and in the last few months, of the 100 news [articles] they made, only five were right.”
Speculation about the 37-year-old’s future has been rife this summer, with rumours abounding of a falling out with Ten Hag and a desire to leave the club to play in the Champions League.
Former United captain Gary Neville criticised Ronaldo for not speaking out immediately, saying: “Stand up now and speak. The club is in crisis and it needs leaders to lead.”
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Family tragedy
In April, Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez were struck by tragedy when one of the twins they were expecting was stillborn. Although a healthy daughter was delivered successfully, her twin brother passed away.
“It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel,” they said in a joint statement. “We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time.”
United have cited “family reasons” as the reason why Ronaldo was absent from the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia, adding that he maintained communication with Ten Hag during that period.
The star’s social media pages suggest he spent time on his home island of Madeira, where his extended family still live, over the summer.
Uncertain return
Ronaldo returned to training at the end of July and the initial signs were positive. The players were said to be enthusiastic for Ten Hag’s new style of play, and the Dutch boss had a place for Ronaldo in his plans.
That did not last long. Within four days, Ronaldo had walked out of a pre-season friendly with Rayo Vallecano after being substituted at half-time and Ten Hag publicly criticised him.
Sources told i that Ten Hag was frustrated with the impact of Ronaldo’s “disruptive” behaviour on younger players and how that hamstrung efforts to bring order to United’s undisciplined dressing room.
With just a week of pre-season behind him, match fitness provided an ostensible reason to bench Ronaldo for United’s opening day defeat at home to Brighton. But the bigger issue was that Ronaldo was that game’s narrative: he, not Ten Hag’s vision for the club, had become the story within just days of his return.
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Little has changed. The club cannot find a suitor willing to match Ronaldo’s wage demands, in spite of the ever-constant manouevres of agent Jorge Mendes, and will only sell him if they are able to sign another forward.
Then, after Saturday’s humiliating 4-0 loss at Brentford, Ten Hag’s assistant Steve McClaren was rebuffed by Ronaldo when he encouraged him to acknowledge the travelling supporters. Once again, he became the story.
Worries about this seeming lack of commitment to management and his teammates will have been compounded by reports in The Athletic this week that Ronaldo has attempted to argue against Ten Hag’s high press in training.
There is, therefore, a lot for Ronaldo to comment on. The issue for Manchester United is that that is the last thing they need.
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