Cristiano Ronaldo will not report for Manchester United pre-season training today due to family reasons amid huge uncertainty over his future at the club.
Ronaldo was due back for his first day of pre-season under Erik ten Hag on Monday but will now delay his return with United accepting the explanation for his absence.
The news of a delayed return comes days after he told the club that he wants to leave should they receive a suitable offer amid his concerns that the club is not moving forward quickly enough.
Cristiano Ronaldo is not expected back at Manchester United pre-season training on Monday
Ronaldo, 37, will not return to training on Monday due to family reasons
Sportsmail reported on Sunday that Ronaldo will hold talks with Erik ten Hag upon his return as he looks to resolve his future.
Ronaldo ‘still has an affinity for the club’ but at this stage of his career wants to be playing in the Champions League and does not see that happening at United.
Ronaldo has played 19 consecutive seasons in the Champions League, becoming the tournament’s all-time top goal scorer with 141 goals. No player in history has featured in more Champions League matches than Ronaldo (183) as well.
But while Ronaldo wants to leave, United have no intention of selling him and have yet to receive an enquiry. They have underlined that the striker remains under contract and hope that he sees that out.
Ronaldo’s absence from training comes days after he told United that he wants to leave
Despite the player’s agent Jorge Mendes meeting different clubs over recent weeks there is also a limited market for a player on around £480,000 a week.
However, reports on Monday claimed that it was United that considered Ronaldo’s future earlier this year.
According to The Athletic, former interim manager Ralf Rangnick wanted to sell Ronaldo during the January transfer window as the forward was hindering what he was trying to implement at the club: a high-pressing side.
Rangnick reportedly asked football director John Murtough and chief executive officer Richard Arnold, via several emails and messages, to consider selling the Portuguese superstar as he felt convinced the No 7 wasn’t a part of the club’s long-term plans.
According to The Athletic, former interim boss Ralf Rangnick wanted to sell the forward
Rangnick wanted to sell Ronaldo as he felt his style of play was hindering his high-press tactics
Ten Hag has taken charge of his first week of sessions ahead of Ronaldo’s return
However, despite his pleas, the German was rebuffed. Now Ronaldo faces an uncertain future ahead of his return where he will have crunch talks with Ten Hag.
Ten Hag has been talking to all United players as he welcomes them back to training and will be keen to sit down with Ronaldo to understand his frustration, particularly as they are due to leave for their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia on Friday.
The Dutch coach had planned for the Portuguese superstar, last season’s top scorer with 24 goals, to be part of his strikeforce for the new campaign and United’s transfer strategy has reflected that.
The player’s agent Jorge Mendes (centre) has been meeting different clubs over recent weeks
Reports over the weekend also claimed that United have warned Ronaldo that he must attend the club’s pre-season tour – even if he does end up leaving.
Ten Hag will first lead his side in a friendly against rivals Liverpool in Bangkok before travelling to Melbourne to face Crystal Palace, and later Perth to play Aston Villa.
While Ronaldo’s future is yet to be resolved, Ten Hag is on the cusp of completing his first signing as United boss.
Dutch left back Tyrell Malacia was pictured arriving into Carrington on Monday ahead of his medical.
Many of United’s players have already returned to training ahead of the club’s pre-season tour
Dutch left back Tyrell Malacia was pictured arriving into Carrington on Monday morning
United have agreed a £13million deal with Feyenoord for the 22-year-old, who looked relaxed as he was driven into United’s training base.
Malacia is only 22 but his stock has rocketed since becoming a mainstay in Feyenoord’s first team and he will hold ambitions of locking down the left back spot for club and country in a World Cup year.
He will challenge Luke Shaw for the starting spot at Manchester United and will be confident he can win that battle.
Malacia played 136 times for Feyenoord and played a key role in helping guide them into the Europa Conference League final last season, where they lost narrowly to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was spotted arriving for training on Monday morning
Club captain Harry Maguire arrived in a black Range Rover on his return to training
Raphael Varane will be hoping for a fresh start at United after a stop-start debut campaign
The Dutchman has looked to be on the verge of a move to France after Lyon agreed a deal with Feyenoord.
But United, alerted to his availability, acted quickly and gazumped Lyon’s offer to bring him to Manchester.
Shortly after Malacia, a number of United’s first-team players also arrived at the club’s training base, with Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes all spotted entering Carrington.
It is the first day back for a number of United’s first-team stars, with the likes of club captain Harry Maguire and Ronaldo’s compatriot Bruno Fernandes reporting for training, and their first taste of what the future will look like under their new Dutch manager.
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