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Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was 'never the problem' at Old Trafford. The Dutch manager and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner did not enjoy the best relationship during their time together at the club.
Before ten Hag took over at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo had a solid 2021-22 season with the Red Devils under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He scored 24 goals and provided three assists in 38 games for the Red Devils.
However, the Portuguese superstar did not have a starring role under ten Hag and mostly came on from the bench. He featured only 16 times under the former Ajax manager and scored thrice while providing two assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with the Red Devils was terminated on mutual consent in November 2022 following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan. However, the veteran superstar has been scoring for fun since joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in January 2023.
Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Rio Ave in Al-Nassr's 4-0 victory in a pre-season friendly. Following the game, Erik ten Hag was questioned regarding Ronaldo, but he insisted that the Portuguese superstar was not the problem. The now-Bayer Leverkusen manager said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Instagram:
"For me, it is no problem, he was never the problem. I think that's the past, it is what happened, and after that we won two trophies at Manchester United, and I wish him all the best for the future."
Erik ten Hag failed to turn things around for the Red Devils despite Cristiano Ronaldo's exit and was sacked in less than a year. He took over at Bayer Leverkusen this summer, where he will be tasked with filling in the void of Xabi Alonso, who joined Real Madrid.
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo wants to reunite with former Manchester United star: Reports
Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants Al-Nassr to sign former Manchester United attacker Mason Greenwood this summer. As reported by Spanish outlet MARCA, the Portuguese superstar is keen to reunite with his former Red Devils teammate at the Al-Awwal Park.
Al-Nassr have signed Joao Felix this summer, who has become their first foreign signing of the season. They have also tracked Greenwood as per reports following his excellent season with Olympique de Marseille.
The 23-year-old established himself as one of the biggest prospects in Europe, having come through the youth ranks of Manchester United. However, he suffered a huge setback when he was arrested for rape and assault in January 2022.
He did not make a single appearance for the Red Devils after his arrest and was loaned to Getafe in 2023-24. He was eventually sold to Marseille in 2024, where he did well to revive his career and won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot last season.
The Englishman made 36 appearances for Roberto De Zerbi's side last season, scoring 22 goals and providing six assists. He played 17 times alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for Manchester United and had one joint goal participation.
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Snehanjan Banerjee
Snehanjan is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football news. A hardcore Liverpool fan for over two decades, he has been covering the game since the past 8 years and always strives to give readers relevant, accurate and credible content.
Snehanjan developed an interest in football at a very young age, thanks to his father watching football on TV. His favorite player is club legend Steven Gerrard and his favorite manager is another legend in Jurgen Klopp. The ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ i.e., Liverpool beating AC Milan in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final left an indelible mark on him. He believes that Liverpool is a family unlike other top clubs, which sets them apart.
Snehanjan also follows Indian Super League and the I-League, although the latter is closer to his heart. If he could change a rule in football, it would be VAR not pointing out mistakes of on-field officials unless they are clear and obvious errors. Outside the football world, Snehanjan likes to explore the various genres of music and watch movies and shows on OTT. He’s also a car enthusiast and likes to follow the automobile world.
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