Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Ten Hag tipped to end Ronaldo tendency, as big Man Utd impact mapped out under new boss

Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, April 2022.

Erik ten Hag will be able to get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United next season amid doubts over his future, one pundit has said.

The 37-year-old has had a solid impact following his return to Old Trafford from Juventus last summer. While he has scored 22 goals in 36 games, though, doubt has emerged over whether he will stay.

Ronaldo signed an initial two-year deal – which runs out next summer – with the option of an extra year.

However, Man Utd are now highly unlikely to have Champions League football next season after a poor run of form. On the flipside, there is hope for the future with Ten Hag leaving Ajax to become United’s new manager.

The Dutchman faces a big first summer transfer window with the club’s revival the long-term ambition. And while Ronaldo may not be the future of United at 37, Marco van Basten has claimed that he can prove useful to Ten Hag.

Indeed, the former Netherlands star backed the coach to persuade Ronaldo to buy into the new brand of football.

“If Ronaldo carries on playing like he did last week [against Norwich] and scores two or three goals in a match on a regular basis, there is no need to take him out of the team,” Van Basten told The Rondo Show.

“Ronaldo is a player who does his own thing, but as long as he delivers, you have to give him a place in the team.

Ronaldo can leave Man United this summer

Ronaldo can leave Man United this summer

Cristiano Ronaldo has been given the green light to leave Manchester United this summer.

“Ten Hag will take into account that he cannot ask the same things physically from Cristiano Ronaldo that he will be asking of an 18-year-old.

“Of course Ronaldo will need to work hard – but I am sure he will work hard because I can see Ten Hag having an influence on him to get him to play how he wants.”

Ronaldo and mixed Man Utd fortunes

Man Utd striker Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo enjoyed a blistering return to the Premier League with Man Utd, scoring two goals on his debut.

He made it three goals in his first two games with a strike at West Ham. The Portugal international then starred in United’s Champions League group stage campaign. He scored in all the five games he featured in.

Since the turn of the year, though, his overall impact has dropped off.

Ronaldo has scored eight goals in 12 Premier League games. Crucially, he has netted two hat-tricks against Norwich and Tottenham, respectively.

It remains unclear if Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford if they do not have top European football next season.