Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United with lofty ambitions in 2021 but was unaware of just how far the club had fallen. The Red Devils have since experienced new lows since his departure
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Erik ten Hag will need to find a way to get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes
Cristiano Ronaldo told Bruno Fernandes that Manchester United should aim to win the Premier League
Cristiano Ronaldo told Bruno Fernandes they had to win the Premier League after signing for Manchester United in 2021.
Four years later, United are set for their worst-ever Premier League campaign finish - two spots clear of the relegation zone - without European football next season and still in desperate need of a squad overhaul.
Ronaldo made his dramatic return to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day in August 2021, arriving from Juventus for a fee of £12.86million. The return of the Portuguese icon, who won a Ballon d'Or and three Premier League titles with the club, was met with excitement and optimism.
The Red Devils had just finished second in the league under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and had splashed out on exciting additions such as Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane earlier that summer.
The idea was that by adding one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time to their team, United would harken back to their glory years and clinch their first league triumph since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013.
According to The Sun, Ronaldo showcased his famous winning mentality before even arriving at United. He reportedly spoke to Portugal team-mate Fernandes, instructing the playmaker to tell the other United stars that they needed to believe in themselves and win the title that year.
For a multitude of reasons, the Red Devils under Ralf Rangnick finished the season in sixth place, 35 points behind champions Manchester City. Ronaldo's contract would be terminated by the end of 2022 after he fell out with Rangnick's successor, Erik ten Hag.
The now 40-year-old made a shock move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, paving the way for a host of ageing Premier League stars to follow suit. Meanwhile, Ten Hag's decision to rid himself of the veteran forward was initially justified as he guided United back to a respectable third-place finish in the 2022/23 campaign.
Nassr's Portuguese forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts
Cristiano Ronaldo's Red Devils aspirations died when he joined Al-Nassr
Yet, United have repeatedly suffered new lows since then. Poor recruitment and a mishmash of different managers with varying philosophies have done long-term damage to the club. Ten Hag, unable to save a sinking ship despite winning the FA Cup in 2024, was sacked last November.
In came Ruben Amorim, fresh-faced, tactically innovative and a proven winner with Portuguese side Sporting CP. But under the once jovial Portuguese head coach, the Red Devils have again set new unwanted records.
Amorim has fewer points per game than any United manager in the Premier League era while overseeing the most defeats, fewest wins and the lowest league tally in recent memory. The only saving grace was that he could have ended a miserable season with silverware and claimed a spot in the Champions League by beating a poor Tottenham side in the Europa League final.
As it transpired, United's two biggest weaknesses - their blunt attack and chaotic goalkeeper - would result in them losing 1-0 to Spurs, who had not won a trophy in 17 years prior to Wednesday night. Any sliver of optimism vanished in Bilbao, and it was unclear how things could get any worse.
That was, until, club captain Fernandes astonishingly offered to quit the club in his post-match interview. The 30-year-old, with at least two years still left on his contract, announced he is willing to leave if United bosses wish to cash in on him.
Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes could leave this summer
"I have always been honest. I've always said I will be here until the club says to me that it's time to go," Fernandes admitted. "I'm eager to do more, to be able to bring the club the great days. On the day that the club thinks that I'm too much or it's time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. But I've always said it and I keep my word in the same way.
"If the club thinks it's time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it's what it is, and football sometimes is like this. It's very sad. We wanted to win more than anything in this final. It's a very sad day because we've done some very good things in this competition until today.
"But today was the day that mattered, the most important day of the competition. It was the day we could have been in the history of the Europa League, but it's not like that. And football is cruel, and it's been our turn to lose."
Reports claim Fernandes, who turns 31 in September, could join his ex-team-mate Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League. Sky Sports reports Al-Hilal are interested in signing the Portugal international, and their offer could come soon due to the Club World Cup. The Saudi side are involved in the tournament, which kicks off in the United States next month, and will be able to sign players from June 1.