Man Utd’s current position on Cristiano Ronaldo future amid Atletico Madrid links revealed

ten Hag gives update on Ronaldo amid speculation over Man Utd exit

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Claims Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Manchester United for Atletico Madrid are wide of the mark, Express Sport understands. The Portugal international wants to leave Old Trafford for a team playing in the Champions League next term. However, it appears as though a move to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium isn’t on the cards.

Reports in Spain have claimed over the last 24 hours that Diego Simeone has approved a sensational deal that would take Ronaldo back to La Liga.

But Express Sport understands that United aren’t expecting their No 7 to jump ship to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium this summer.

They’re still adamant Ronaldo won’t actually be going anywhere, with the 37-year-old still having one year left on his contract.

As stated above, a key factor for the Portugal international is Champions League football.

Ronaldo has won the tournament five times over the years and, with 140 goals to his name, is the competition’s top goalscorer.

He doesn’t want to play in the Europa League, especially as he enters the twilight years of his career.

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But Ronaldo may now have no choice but to stay and fight for his place in Erik ten Hag’s side.

Chelsea have distanced themselves from talk of a deal, with the Blues having other priorities as they look to win the Premier League title under Thomas Tuchel.

Bayern Munich have done the same, while also spending big on Matthijs de Ligt – who is poised to join from Juventus.

Real Madrid don’t need Ronaldo, especially with Karim Benzema now their undisputed talisman.

And Barcelona lack the finances required to strike a deal, while they’ve also added Robert Lewandowski to their squad from Bayern.

Ronaldo, now, looks set to stay at United.

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And that will be a boost for Ten Hag, who has publicly insisted he wants the Portugal international to stay.

It’s now looking far likelier Ronaldo will see out his contract before leaving in 12 months’ time.

Now isn’t the first occasion he’s sought a move away from the Red Devils, however, having done so three times in the past.

In 2006, after clashing with Wayne Rooney at the World Cup in Germany, Ronaldo wanted out.

But Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded him to stay, insisting the country would move on from the Rooney debacle.

Two years later, after propelling the Red Devils to Champions League glory, Ronaldo again pushed to go.

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Yet Ferguson persuaded him to give his all for one more year, with Ronaldo then winning another Premier League title.

He eventually got his way in 2009, with Real Madrid paying a huge £80m to bring the forward to the Bernabeu.

And whether Ronaldo gets his wish, or not, is something only time will tell.

Teddy Sheringham, meanwhile, thinks United would be wise to get Ronaldo off their books this summer.

“I half saw it coming,” Sheringham told Sportsmail. “People are saying shall Ten Hag build his team around Ronaldo, but if he wants to go, he goes. That opens up a whole new corridor for United.

“You could get in two or three players on that sort of wage and that is a lot of money they could spend each month.

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“Life goes on, he wants to go and play somewhere else, so get players in that you know who are going to be strong and stable throughout the season.

“Ronaldo will have been watching what has been going on, he will feel the vibes from how it was in Fergie’s time and how the club is being run now and he will get the vibes that he does not like what he is seeing going on.

“If you stand still in football, you fall and maybe Ronaldo sees the same. Where is that big signing coming from?

“If I’m Ronaldo now, I’m saying go on then United, excite me…what are you doing in the transfer market.

“Ronaldo has got maybe another year or two years max at the top level and he deserves to enjoy his football at the top of his game.”

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