Erik ten Hag wants Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Manchester United and plans to make him a major part of his new-look team next campaign.
The Portuguese star rejoined United last summer having appeared destined to join local rivals Man City, but his future, ahead of the arrival of Ten Hag, is again a matter of huge speculation.
With no Champions League football on offer next season, however, Ronaldo is yet to make a final decision on his future.
The 37-year-old appeared emotional during a lap of honour after Monday’s 3-0 win over Brentford – United’s last home game of a torrid campaign – but denied reports he uttered the words ‘I’m not finished’ directly into the television cameras.
Ronaldo still has over 12 months to run on the two-year contract he signed last August and Ten Hag, according to the Telegraph, wants to retain his unique goalscoring talents, even if he may not be suited to the style of football he wishes to implement.
Ten Hag is set to oversee a major overhaul of the playing staff in the summer but sees no reason to dispense with Ronaldo and reported to have been taken by the way in which the player has attempted to carry the team through adversity.
The current Ajax manager is, however, intent on signing at least one new striker which might not sit well with Ronaldo, especially if it limits his playing time.
Moreover, Ronaldo could yet take the decision out of the Red devils' hands and seek a move elsewhere, especially after the club’s failure to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition.
