Like expected, Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo made his pre-season Manchester United debut in a friendly against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. However, even Ronaldo’s return to the national team has not silenced suggestions he wants to leave Old Trafford in the summer transfer window to sign for a team that will compete in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
As noted by Sky Sports News and Rob Dawson of ESPN, both Ronaldo and teammate Diogo Dalot were pictured leaving the stadium before the final whistle Sunday’s game ended 1-1. Ronaldo started the competition and was substituted after the break, but Dalot was not included in the squad.
While speaking to Viaplay Sport Netherlands, United manager Erik ten Hag made it clear that he was not satisfied with the actions of Ronaldo and Dalot.
“It’s unacceptable for everyone,” ten Hag said of the players leaving early. “I told them it was unacceptable. We were a team. A team. In the end we were still together.”
Ronaldo did not travel for United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, and his absence is believed to be related to unspecified “family reasons”. The 37-year-old returned to the club for training last week and, along with his agent Jorge Mendes, is said to have discussed the future with Ten Hag.
Ten Hag has insisted throughout the summer that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is not for sale and is part of his plans for the 2022-23 campaign, but the manager recently admitted Ronaldo must improve his fitness his energy ahead of the Premier League opening day on Sunday. against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ten Hag said before the match against Rayo Vallecano: “He’s not at the level of the rest of the team because he’s been absent for so many weeks. “But he needs games and he needs training, a lot.”
It is not yet clear whether Ronaldo will be selected for the match against Brighton. So far, it has been reported that Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli have all been far behind the possibility of signing CR7.
Dawson added in his story that United “have yet to receive an offer” for Ronaldo’s services.
