"Definitely not on the level of our current squad" - Erik ten Hag comments on Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Manchester United's friendly against Rayo Vallecano

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stated that star striker Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to reach the fitness levels of the rest of the Red Devils' squad.

Ronaldo has missed almost the entirety of United's pre-season due to personal reasons. He returned to training earlier this week but didn't feature in their match against Atletico Madrid on Saturday (July 30).

The 37-year-old is set to play a part in Manchester United's final pre-season friendly tonight (July 31) against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford. However, Ten Hag has stated that Cristiano Ronaldo is understandably not at the physical level of his teammates who have had a full pre-season.

The Dutch tactician told Sky Sports when asked about Ronaldo's current physical condition (as quoted by the Mirror):

"I cannot tell in this moment. He is definitely not on the level of our current squad, because he missed a lot of week. So he needs games and he needs a lot of training."

Ten Hag's words have also thrown Ronaldo's participation in their first official fixture of the 2022-23 season into doubt. The Red Devils will kickstart their campaign with their Premier League opener against Brighton & Hove Albion on August 7 at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo reportedly wants out of United and has asked the club to allow him to leave if a suitable offer comes in. He has been linked with a move to multiple clubs this summer in his bid to play Champions League football.

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Manchester United have fared well without Cristiano Ronaldo in preseason

Manchester United were heavily dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo last season. The Portuguese superstar netted 24 goals in 38 matches across all competitions while no other player reached double figures.

Ten Hag has had to contend with Ronaldo's absence in his maiden preseason with the club and has done a fantastic job so far. United have lost just one of their club friendlies so far this summer, with the team putting in some brilliant all-round displays.

They kicked off their preparations with a 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool and followed it up with a 4-1 win against Melbourne Victory. Manchester United then saw off Crystal Palace 3-1 despite ending the game with 10 men. They also led 2-0 at half-time against Aston Villa before conceding twice to share the spoils.

Ten Hag's men then took on English fifth-tier side AFC Wrexham in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier this week. As per the Daily Mail, they ran out 4-1 winners with new arrival Christian Eriksen among those who found the back of the net.

Manchester United's latest friendly ended in a 1-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid. They will look to return to winning ways when they take on Rayo Vallecano in their final pre-season contest, with Cristiano Ronaldo set to start, as per Sky Sports.