Cristiano Ronaldo held showdown talks with Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag on Tuesday. Meanwhile, he was also willing to train with his teammates.
Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo was back at Manchester United amid the ongoing uncertainty regarding his future with the club. He missed out on the club's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia after reportedly informing the club about his desire to leave to play UEFA Champions League (UCL) and being unimpressed with the Red Devils' activity in the ongoing transfer market. He arrived at United's training facility in Carrington on Tuesday along with his agent Jorge Mendes to hold showdown talks with new club head coach Erik ten Hag. While the words did not materialise into anything fruitful, he was reportedly willing to train with his club teammates.
The Telegraph reported that neither Ronaldo nor United were willing to compromise. However, Spanish journalist Manu Sainz adds that the Portuguese would continue to train with the club out of professionalism as long as he is with the club. He had some light chat with his teammates on Tuesday about their pre-season stint.
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Ronaldo mostly spoke to Portuguese and Brazilian players, along with the new signings, while he also indicated his desire to return to training. Ten Hag continued to assert that Ronnie remains a part of his plans, while they had not spoken since May until Tuesday, although the Dutchman was aware of Ronaldo's developments through third parties.
The talks happened to be tense on Tuesday, and among those present during the discussions also included Ricardo Regufe (Ronaldo's manager), Richard Arnold (United CEO) and Sir Alex Ferguson. While ten Hag once again decided to sell his project to the Portuguese, it was to no avail. Then, he caught up with his teammates and had a light chat before saying, "Okay, that's it. Enough. It's time to train. Let's go."
It will be interesting to see how the talks transpire in the second round, as both parties are yet to conclude. Although Spanish giants Atletico Madrid was reportedly eyeing him, new reports suggest it has turned down the chance.