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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has ruled out a move for Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Magpies will be up against Erik ten Hag's side on Sunday at Old Trafford and will be looking to keep pushing for a European place.
Ahead of the match, Eddie Howe has insisted that Newcastle United have no plans to sign Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Howe has highlighted that the Magpies are looking for steady and long-term growth as a team and signing the veteran Portuguese superstar does not fit the idea.
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The Newcastle United manager has also claimed that he already has an aging squad at his disposal and is looking to build a younger core of players. He said, as quoted by The Sun:
“It is not really a signing we would necessarily look to make. We’re trying to provide long-term growth, we have got a longer-term vision."
“We have quite an aging squad, so we need to invest in more young players. That’s a big part of our progression — we need to get the average age down.”
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in this fixture last season as Manchester United recorded a 4-1 win.
The Portuguese international scored the 700th goal of his club career last week as the Red Devils secured a 2-1 comeback win against Everton.
Eddie Howe has hailed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner for his incredible achievements in his career. He added:
“It just shows how good his record is, how good his career has been, it puts it in focus again. The quality is unquestionable and we are going to have to be very, very good against him if he plays. We’re going to have to brief our defenders on the areas from where he wants to score. It’s something we have to be aware of.”
Cristiano Ronaldo remains a vital player for Manchester United
Despite the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has not been an undisputed starter this season for Manchester United, he still has a big role to play this season.
Even at the dusk of his career, he continues to achieve remarkable feats as a footballer and has just become the first ever footballer to score 700 goals in his club career.
Erik ten Hag recently claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo lacked match-fitness at the start of the season as he missed Manchester United's pre-season tour.
As the season progresses, the Portuguese superstar could be in for an increased role in the first-team.
