Erik ten Hag wants striker Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United this summer - Paper Round
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Updated 16/04/2022 at 07:15 GMT
Prospective new Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could force Cristiano Ronaldo out of Old Trafford this summer, while on their way to the club could be Norwich City defender Max Aarons and River Plate's Enzo Hernandez. Elsewhere, Sam Allardyce will make huge demands to consider joining Burnley and keeping them up.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester United set to see Ronaldo leave
Spanish newspaper Marca reports that incoming new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag does not want to work with Cristiano Ronaldo next season. The 37-year-old Portuguese international had already considered his options for the new campaign with Jorge Mendes.
Paper Round’s view: If United can move on Ronaldo in the summer without taking too great a financial hit then the money can probably be better spent elsewhere. There’s nothing about Ronaldo that makes him a bad option on the pitch, but if the club are willing to tailor their squad to the aims and approach of their new man, then Ronaldo will have to be sacrificed.
United eye Hernandez
Enzo Hernandez is the latest midfield target for Manchester United, according to the Daily Mail. The 21-year-old Argentine can be bought for £20.6 million this summer, with Real Madrid and Manchester City also linked. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio, Leeds' Kalvin Phillips and Monaco's Aurelio Tchouameni are also targets as United need two midfielders.
Paper Round’s view: United are set to see Paul Pogba leave and earlier Nemanja Matic said he would be leaving the club in the summer. As well as that, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard will both depart, meaning there is much work needed to be done to secure midfield replacements. While it is hard to know how well Hernandez will adjust, Matic and Pogba have hardly been exceptional at Old Trafford, so he can't be much worse.
United chase Aarons
In yet another United story, The Mirror reports that the club are pursuing Norwich City defender Max Aarons, who could be available for £20m this season. The 22-year-old right-back has attracted attention from Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Barcelona, and has been identified by John Murtough and Darren Fletcher - United’s transfer gurus - as a transfer target.
Paper Round’s view: The problem, as the paper points out, is that Ten Hag supposedly wants to be central to any overhaul of the squad and if United start buying players without properly consulting him then it’s just the same mistakes as when Ed Woodward was in charge. Aarons seems an excellent prospect, though, so perhaps discussions have already taken place. At any other club, ignoring the manager would be inconceivably foolish.
Allardyce wants huge payout
The Sun reports that Sam Allardyce would consider an approach from relegation-threatened Burnley, but he would not come easily. The experienced firefighter would want a huge bonus written into his contract if he keeps the club in the Premier League given their current struggles, and he would also expect a contract for the next year - but there is no guarantee he will come.
Paper Round’s view: Given the relatively sparse options available to Burnley with so few games remaining, they can hardly say no to Allardyce. They need someone with experience who can turn around a season swiftly - it is hard to imagine there is anyone better qualified for that job right now, and a big end-of-season survival bonus is the correct way to align incentives.
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