Ronaldo could be toxic to Manchester United, says ex-Man City player

Former Manchester City player claims that Cristiano Ronaldo could cause division in Manchester United's dressing room if he remains at the club

Image of Manchester United's striker Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer saga continues to stir up the internet, with the talented superstar insisting on leaving Old Trafford this summer.

Manchester United's new manager, Eric ten Hag, is eager to keep the Portuguese international despite his desire to depart and has revealed his stance from the unset.

"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season, and that is it, " said Ten Hag in an interview. "I am looking forward to working with him. Cristiano is not for sale. He is in our plans, and we want success together."

Though Manchester United have made their intention of keeping Ronaldo clear, the 37-year-old remained adamant about his desire to depart.

Former Manchester City player Trevor Sinclair has stated that Cristiano Ronaldo could be toxic to the Manchester United dressing room if the club insists on keeping him this season.

"Forcing him to stay when he does not want to be there, and I would presume, with the power and influence that he has, he could be a poisonous person in that dressing room," said Sinclair in a podcast with talkSPORT.

Last season, Cristiano Ronaldo was named Manchester United's Player of the Season after scoring 24 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions.

Ronaldo missed Manchester United's pre-season tours in Thailand and Australia after the Premier League club reported he had to resolve some personal issue.

On Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo, with his agent Jorge Mendes, returned to the Old Trafford training camp for a showdown talk with Erik ten Hag over his future.

According to reports, Ronaldo has once again maintained his desire to leave Manchester United, while the club continues to persuade him to stay as they see him as a key part of their project this season.

desire - stance

Erik ten Hag's only centre-forward is French striker Anthony Martial, and the manager wants to keep Ronaldo to have more options in the attacking position. Although Martial has improved during their pre-season tour, the manager believes Ronaldo will have a significant impact on his team this season.

There were reports that Ronaldo's agent, George Mendes, had offered his client to various European clubs, including German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and La Liga giant Atletico Madrid, but both clubs have denied any links with the attacker.

Manchester United are said to be monitoring RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Šeško as a replacement for Ronaldo, but they have yet to approach the Austrian club about his transfer.

The 19-year-old Slovenian international player is seen as a prospect for the future after scoring 11 goals in 37 appearances last season and could be a key part of Ten Hag's project at Manchester United.