Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Farhan Akhtar defends Cristiano Ronaldo; Red Devils trigger 4 one-year extensions, and more - December 21, 2022

Manchester United welcome Burnley to Old Trafford on Wednesday (December 21) in the EFL Cup Round of 16. Erik ten Hag will be determined to pick up a win and progress to the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo’s critics. Elsewhere, the Red Devils have triggered a one-year extension for four players.

On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on December 21, 2022:

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Farhan Akhtar slams Cristiano Ronaldo critics

Cristiano Ronaldo has endured a difficult time since leaving Manchester United.

Farham Akhtar has slammed the recent criticism faced by Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese has been on a downward slide since parting ways with Manchester United last month. The Red Devils decided to call time on the 37-year-old’s association with the club following his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

Ronaldo’s situation went from bad to worse at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He dropped down to the bench as Portugal failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals. Lionel Messi's World Cup triumph further compounded the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s misery. The 37-year-old has been heavily criticised over the past few months for his behaviour and performances.

However, Ronaldo has now found an ally in Akhtar. Taking to social media, the Bollywood actor paid tribute to Ronaldo and came down heavily on his critics.

“This is a Cristiano Ronaldo appreciation post. This guy has given his life to the game, set standards of skill, athleticism and fitness that most sportspeople can only fantasise about. It’s so easy to tear someone down in a moment when they stop behaving like robots and display human emotion,” wrote Akhtar.

He added:

“It’s so easy to forget how fortunate we’ve been to witness him take the beautiful game to a whole other level through sheer commitment, hard work and improvement through self analysis."

Akhtar concluded:

“It annoys the hell out of me to see commentators diss him and speak of him as a has-been. Not one of them could last a day in his shoes. I don’t know the guy, but I know that watching him play made me happy even when he played against teams I supported. I hope he knows what he means to the millions of people who feel the same way I do.”

Ronaldo appeared five times in this year’s World Cup but scored just once.

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Manchester United trigger one-year extensions for four players

Marcus Rashford will not leave the club on a Bosman move this summer.

Manchester United have triggered a one-year extension option in the contracts of four players, according to The Guardian.

The Red Devils are playing close attention to their squad right now, with Ten Hag attempting to assemble a unit capable of winning silverware. The Dutchman invested wisely in the market last summer and could be tempted to trim his squad next year.

Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Fred and Luke Shaw are all in the final year of their respective contracts.

However, the Old Trafford outfit have the option of an additional year in the contracts of all four players. Manchester United have now opted to utilise that option, which will help them bide time before deciding on who deserves a new deal.

David de Gea’s contract with the Red Devils also expires at the end of the season. However, the Spaniard is already in negotiations with the club to extend his stay at Old Trafford. Talks have progressed well, and as such, the one-year extension clause in his contract has not been activated.

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Tam McManus backs Leeds United to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford.

Scottish former footballer Tam McManus believes Aaron Wan-Bissaka could improve Leeds United.

The English right-back has dropped down the pecking order at Manchester United this season. Ten Hag is unconvinced by the 25-year-old, and the Red Devils are likely to cash in on him in January.

Speaking recently, McManus said that Leeds could sign Wan-Bissaka for £15-20 million.

“He’s still only 25, so he could be a good signing for Leeds. It looks like he has no future at Man United. He could definitely go and improve Leeds. In terms of price, I think Man United would want at least half of that fee back,” said McManus.

He added:

“But you have to be realistic. Would they let him go for £15m, £10m? That would be a good deal for everyone. I really think Leeds could pick up a bargain here.”

Wan-Bissaka has appeared just once for Manchester United this season.