That means one less big name for Erik ten Hag to keep happy, and Ronaldo’s numbers have certainly been good enough to warrant the starting berth for another year. The veteran posted 18 Premier League goals this season, leaving him third in the race for the Golden Boot, and he is expected to be part of Ten Hag’s plans.
Ten Hag’s more likely summer priorities will lie in defence and midfield. United conceded more goals than relegated Burnley in the Premier League this season, and finished with a goal difference of zero.
Jurrien Timber could well follow the former Ajax boss to Old Trafford, but Ten Hag recently acknowledged that virtually every top club in Europe is after the young centre-back. In midfield, signing Frenkie de Jong supposedly remains a possibility, but a lack of Champions League football could render the deal a no-go.