Sky Sports News reporter, Dharmesh Sheth says that Manchester United were not expecting to do much business in the winter transfer window before Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
Ronaldo saw his contract terminated by the club after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan last month and as a result the club are now looking to replace the Portuguese as they only have two recognised centre forwards in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
Manchester United Transfer News
The Athletic and several other media outlets spoke to the United manager Erik ten Hag out in Spain and they asked him if the club were looking to do business in the January window and sign a replacement for Ronaldo. Even though ten Hag said United were in the market for a striker, the right one must be available.
“Yes, but only when we find the right player. We will do everything in our power. “We are doing research at every opportunity and we will do everything we can [to sign them] if that opportunity is there.” [via Give Me Sport].
Erik ten Hag on Gonçalo Ramos and Cody Gakpo: “Here I will comment on specific players, they have contracts and I respect that”. 🚨🔴 #MUFC @sistoney67
“We are doing research on every opportunity and we do everything we can if that opportunity is there to contract them”. pic.twitter.com/x47Rcgms63
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 10, 2022
The Sky Sports reporter, Sheth, told Give Me Sport that Ronaldo’s exit could accelerate United’s plans to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven next month, despite not planning on doing any business before Ronaldo’s exit.
Gakpo would be a good signing for United as he has scored 9 goals in 14 appearances for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side [Transfermarkt] and he was also a shining star for the Dutch as he scored three goals in three group stage matches.
🚨 NEW | Fabrizio: Man Utd are still in talks with people close to Cody Gakpo, and there's a "serious chance" for him to leave PSV in January if a bid of more than €50m arrives. [YT] pic.twitter.com/fC6lR762iE
— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) December 7, 2022
What did Dharmesh Sheth say about Man United and Ronaldo?
Speaking to Give Me Sport about the Manchester club and Ronaldo, the Sky Sports reporter said: “The information I was getting in the last couple of months before all of the hoo-ha with Ronaldo started to manifest itself was that they weren’t expecting to be that busy during January, although the one big story would be about a departure and it happened to be the most famous player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s how it’s transpired.”
How did Ronaldo perform at the World Cup?
Ronaldo was part of Portugal’s 26-man squad that represented his nation in Qatar, but the World Cup did not go as he would have wanted as he only scored one goal and in Portugal’s final two games of the tournament, he did not start.
The Portugal captain started all three of Portugal’s group stage matches against Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea respectively, but he was dropped for Portugal’s Round of 16 clash against Switzerland, in which they won 6-1 and the following game against Morocco.
Even though he became the first men’s player to score in five different World Cups [ESPN], the Portuguese had a disappointing World Cup from an individual and collective point of view as Portugal were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Morocco, who won 1-0 at the Al Thumama Stadium.
It’s the end for Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup. The Portuguese leaves the pitch in tears on his last appearance ever in the World Cup. 🚨🇵🇹 #Ronaldo #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/fWLC6YN0Wj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 10, 2022
