Gabriel Agbonlahor insists Cristiano Ronaldo is not suited for the current Manchester United system, stating he was only signed to please the fanbase.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Manchester United during the summer was a lengthy affair that certainly sent the fanbase into a frenzy. After a decorated career, Ronaldo, 36, arrived and was instantly touted as the Red Devils’ saviour, and the player who could win the club the honours they have been craving for years.
Despite setting the record straight with several goals since signing up, in the eyes of many, Ronaldo is proving to be a problem for the entire team. Recently his pressing stats were highlighted to demonstrate the Portuguese may not be performing at the level of other Premier League forwards.
However, with goals still in his game, the Portuguese is adept at providing them, as highlighted against Atalanta, when Ronaldo scored a late winner to complete a stunning comeback victory for Manchester United. In recent weeks, the former Real Madrid star has endured his share of criticism for his on-field antics, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, under pressure or not, keeps selecting him in the lineup.
Gabriel Agbonlahor stated that the Portuguese might not suit the current Manchester United system. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa striker claimed Ronaldo was only signed to appease the Old Trafford faithful and prevent him from joining rivals Manchester City.
Agbonlahor said, “People got carried away. Ronaldo was awful for Juventus last season. This season for Man United, he’s not scored many great goals. The one against Newcastle was the goalkeeper’s fault; it went through his legs. The Villareal one wasn’t anything special.”
“If you look at Man United, if I’m a Man United fan, I want to see Greenwood down the middle, I want Rashford on the left, and I want Sancho on the right; he’s better on the right. That’s my front three. In behind them, I want Pogba, Fernandes and Fred or McTominay.
“Ronaldo doesn’t fit into the way that Manchester United want to play. The problem is, because of his profile and how good of a player he was, everyone feels like they’ve got to pass to him. They feel they’ve got to make a goal for Ronaldo.”
“He’s going to be the downfall of Man United, for me. It was a signing that was done for the fans and to stop him from going to Man City. Let’s not be fooled; Ronaldo would have gone to Manchester City, 1000 per cent; he had probably already spoken to Manchester City.”
These are some explosive comments by Agbonlahor and many would tend to agree. However, it remains to be seen if Ronaldo can prove otherwise, having already become one of Manchester United’s top scorers in the 2021/22 season.
