Atletico Madrid fans have protested against the potential signing of Cristiano Ronaldo,
with banners expressing their displeasure at the prospect of the former Real Madrid
forward joining during a pre-season friendly.
Atletico Madrid have ruled out a move for
Ronaldo, along with Bayern Munich, but that didn't stop some supporters displaying
banners as third-tier Numancia were beaten 4-0 at the Estadio Municipal de El Burgo de
Osma on Wednesday.
Atletico's core fanbase said the Portuguese star does not fit with
the club's ethos with a banner behind the goal unfurled with the message 'CR7 NOT
WELCOME' during the pre-season friendly.
Ronaldo held talks over his Manchester United
future with boss Erik ten Hag on Tuesday. The 37-year-old arrived at United's
Carrington training ground with his agent Jorge Mendes on Tuesday morning for
talks.
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Manchester United's training ground on
Tuesday
Former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was also seen arriving but it is
understood he was there for a regular board meeting with chief executive Richard
Arnold.
Ronaldo returned to the UK on Monday after missing the club's pre-season tour
of Thailand and Australia due to family reasons, with the explanation accepted by the
club.
Ten Hag admitted he was unclear over the situation ahead of the tour - but
Ronaldo is now back in the United setup after training away from the squad in recent
weeks.
The Portugal captain has told United he wants to leave this summer amid concerns
he will be unable to compete for the biggest trophies at the club.
Please use Chrome
browser for a more accessible video player Danny Mills believes it could work in Erik
ten Hag's favour if Cristiano Ronaldo secures a move away from Manchester United.
But
United's stance regarding Ronaldo's future has remained unchanged: United are willing
to listen to offers for Ronaldo this summer, Sky Sports News understands, but the
club's public stance remains that he is not for sale.
Ten Hag said in Bangkok that
Ronaldo, who has one year remaining on his United contract, is in his plans for the
season ahead and expects him to stay at the club.
Please use Chrome browser for a more
accessible video player Erik ten Hag gives his latest opinion on Cristiano Ronaldo's
current situation at Manchester United and also reveals his desire for the club to sign
a new striker.
"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that's it. I'm
looking forward to working with him. Cristiano is not for sale. He is in our plans and
we want success together," the Dutchman said.
"He's not with us and it's due to
personal issues. I spoke with him before this issue came up. I had a conversation with
him and I had a good talk. That is between Cristiano and me. What I can confirm is we
had a really good conversation together. I didn't speak to him after (the
news)."
Atletico and Bayern both rule out signing Ronaldo
Please use Chrome browser for
a more accessible video player Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United's
training ground on Tuesday with his agent Jorge Mendes for talks over his future at the
club
Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich have both ruled themselves out of the running to
sign Ronaldo.
Atletico were linked with a move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner but
their president Enrique Cerezo has labelled a move for the Real Madrid icon as
"practically impossible".
"I've already said this several times, I don't know who
invented the Cristiano story but I'll tell you that it's practically impossible that he
comes to Atletico de Madrid," Cerezo told reporters on Tuesday, via El Partidazo De
Cope.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Jamie O'Hara
believes Cristiano Ronaldo could yet remain at Manchester United as speculation
continues to surround his future at the club
"Rumours are rumours and they have to stay
as rumours. If you keep on fuelling the rumours then eventually it will look like it's
something real, which it's not."
Meanwhile, Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn said
that, despite initial consideration and even after losing star striker Robert
Lewandowski to Barcelona, the Bundesliga champions will not be pursuing a move for
Ronaldo.
Earlier in July, Kahn told German magazine Kicker that Ronaldo does not fit
into the club's recruitment philosophy, and he reiterated the remarks in an interview
with Bild.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Adam Stott from
The United Stand says Manchester United's fans would rather see the team performing
well as a whole than having to rely on individual performances from Ronaldo to get them
results
"We discussed about Cristiano Ronaldo internally, I consider him one of
greatest players ever," Kahn said.
"Then we came to conclusion that, despite
appreciation for Cristiano, he would not fit into our philosophy in the current
situation."
Has Ronaldo run out of options?
Please use Chrome browser for a more
accessible video player Dharmesh Sheth gives an update on the latest transfer news at
Manchester United as Frenkie de Jong considers his future at Barcelona and Cristiano
Ronaldo's next club is still unknown.
Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa
Reddy:
"As we've seen on Instagram, Ronaldo has been keeping fit, so there are no
concerns from Manchester United over his fitness or physical level; he's one of the
fittest players in world football.
"Ultimately, Ronaldo did state his desire to leave
Old Trafford, but he's running out of options, and it seems like he's actually going to
have to stay. Perhaps he will try and swing it where the 25 per cent pay cut in his
contract will be waived away by United, perhaps he wants to manoeuvre and muscle a new
deal, we'll have to wait and see. But it doesn't look like Stamford Bridge is on his
cards.
"Chelsea have distanced themselves from a deal for Ronaldo, as have Bayern
Munich, Napoli and a lot of other elite clubs that Jorge Mendes, who is Ronaldo's
agent, has tried to sell him to.
"That offer from Saudi Arabia is astronomical but
ultimately, it does not give Cristiano Ronaldo what he wants, which is that legacy. He
wants to achieve Champions League records that he thinks no one else will be able to
attain in the future.
Image: Ronaldo has been keeping fit in the gym during this
pre-season campaign
"He wants to sign off at the absolute highest level. Now, it looks
increasingly like he will have to stay at Manchester United because there are no biters
from the big clubs.
"Everyone has their forwards already, and Chelsea, who are the only
club looking like they could actually potentially be spun by what Cristiano Ronaldo
offers off the pitch because we were told that Mendes, while being in front of these
clubs, was putting forward his numbers in terms of social media influence, sponsorship
that he rakes in, the commercial gain of his shirt sales and stuff like that. But even
they now say he is not in their plans. Their immediate aim is to strengthen the
defence.
"So, that leaves Ronaldo really with not many choices. We know that he does
want to be competing at the highest level so if he does go to Saudi Arabia that cuts
against everything he has said and everything we actually know about him and his
career.
"Manchester United have always been very calm and very comfortable. They have
insisted he is not for sale, and he will see out the last year of his contract. How
they manoeuvre this now going forward we'll see, but Ronaldo is keeping fit, so they
have no issues or problems or fears over what state he'll report back to pre-season
in."
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