Cristiano Ronaldo arrives at Manchester United training looking dull as transfer saga continues

Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo looked dull as he arrived to train with his team at the Carrington Complex earlier today.

Ronaldo is reportedly intent on leaving the club this summer. The 37-year-old scored 24 goals last season across competitions. He has shown his unwillingness to miss out on playing in the Champions League. Ronaldo would have to play in the Europa League if he stays at Old Trafford as the Red Devils failed to secure a top-4 berth last season in the Premier League.

The Portuguese has been linked to a number of clubs, although it is unclear whether United are willing to sell him.

The club has reiterated that the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner is not for sale and Erik ten Hag recently expressed a desire to work with him. The Dutch manager was seen in what may be construed as a confrontation with Ronaldo during the 33' mark of the friendly against Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano.

The Portuguese also left the stadium early, before the full-time whistle had sounded. He left with his compatriot Diogo Dalot who was not in the matchday squad. Regardless, Ronaldo was seen entering the Carrington facility with a stony expression and did not stop to greet the supporters.

New manager Erik ten Hag claimed that Ronaldo needs a lot of training:

The Portuguese drove straight into the complex in his £250,000 Bentley. Ronaldo is still expected to leave Manchester United this summer, which is bound to leave the club short on striker options.

Cristiano Ronaldo's future may prove to be fundamental to Manchester United’s season

There is little doubt that the Portuguese is still one of the best players in world football. Ronaldo might be 37 but he still produced multiple memorable performances last season, including a hat-trick in a battle of a match against Tottenham Hotspur. The Portuguese still has a few years left in him and his experience can come in handy.

However, his goalscoring ability could prove to be invaluable for United in the upcoming season. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have not been in good form recently. The pair performed well enough in the preseason but United is short on consistent goalscorers. If Ronaldo leaves, the club might be forced to quickly find a replacement.

Manchester United posted excerpts from the new coach on their Twitter handle:

The loss of Mason Greenwood and the lack of attacking depth suggests that Ten Hag might be forced to depend on youngsters in the attacking line, at least until January.

A number of upcoming youngsters who might be ready for regular first team action. These include Alejandro Garnacho, Hannibal Mejbri and Zidane Iqbal in addition to the likes of Chong and Elanga, who are already regulars.