Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has urged Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to sell Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer transfer window.
As quoted by Daily Mail, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has some words of wisdom for new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window.
The Dutchman is the latest tactician to be entrusted with the keys to Old Trafford as they look to rekindle the glories of old. Manchester United have failed to win a trophy for five years and are now set for a fresh rebuild.
Erik ten Hag built a name for himself in the Eredivisie, making Ajax the top side in the league. A repeat of the same in England with Manchester United will certainly make him a cult hero if not a legend at the Theatre of Dreams. As things stand, the Manchester United squad is miles behind the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool making a summer revamp essential.
One player who stood head and shoulders above the rest of his teammates this season is Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite being 37, he ended the campaign as the club’s top scorer and was easily their main man on the pitch. Curiously Carragher believes ten Hag should part ways with the Manchester United legend this summer.
The Liverpool legend went on to compare the situation to how Jurgen Klopp handled Christian Benteke upon his arrival at Anfield. The Belgian striker was an ill fit in Klopp’s system at Anfield and was let go the very next summer. The Liverpool boss put his system before the player, and Carragher believes a similar approach needs to be made by ten Hag regarding Ronaldo.
“I’m convinced he’s (Ten Hag) got to do that with Ronaldo, whether he’s allowed to or not, and I’ve said this consistently throughout this season, that was not a good signing.”
Carragher went on to add that Ronaldo standing out as the main man in a poor team is not a good reflection and can be viewed as an issue. Whether ten Hag is willing to make such a difficult decision remains to be seen.
“When you’re not playing in a great team it can be something that is seen as a negative, and I think it has been a negative this season.”
Ronaldo is a Manchester United legend and will be remembered fondly as one of the finest players to don the red jersey. Carragher is not completely off the point suggesting that signing Ronaldo was a bad move.
While the 37-year-old’s return to Manchester United was nostalgic, it did shift the focus onto him, sidelining other players such as Edinson Cavani, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and even Anthony Martial. Getting rid of the Portuguese ace so that the team as a whole can develop is not such a bad idea.
It may not be too obvious on the surface, but taking one step back so that they can move two steps forward might be the best bet for Manchester United at this point. Ronaldo should serve the club and not the other way around.
