The big question, and the big complication at this sensitive stage in his career, is whether signing Ronaldo is more or less likely to bring the trophy. For United, it is whether keeping Ronaldo is more conducive to returning to this level. There is a fair argument that it is time to let go. A growing number of figures at Old Trafford are wondering just that. Even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had enough questions before last August and called Sir Alex Ferguson for a lawyer when the signing was announced. The attitude of the club patriarch was “do it”. The view that was most seductive then, as now, is that Ronaldo “is a guarantee of goals”. That remains true, and it’s something clubs like Chelsea and Bayern Munich are at least considering. The other side to consider is that these targets come at a significant cost, far beyond wages or any nominal transfer fee. As both Juventus and United have discovered, it’s not just a simplistic case of adding Ronaldo’s goals to an existing structure. You have to change the structure significantly to accommodate the Portuguese, so it’s not what it used to be. His signature can no longer match what was there. As a result, United went from 73 league goals last season to 57, and Juventus went from 86 goals in 2017-18 to 70, 76 and 77 in their three campaigns with Ronaldo. Ensuring that this great legend can score at the same rate now means that the team cannot, due to the tactical compromises that are necessary. That’s why the debate about where United would be without Ronaldo has always been the wrong debate. The real difference was that his signing meant it wasn’t United itself. This is not to exonerate any of Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick or the succession of Juventus managers Ronaldo played for. The Norwegian, for one, has always been short of the level required and it felt only a matter of time before that finally materialised. Ronaldo may have just rushed it. (AFP via Getty Images) It is also undeniable that the Portuguese has been at both clubs during transitional periods in their recent histories. Ronaldo was said to have been taken aback by how United had fallen when he returned in September. These are concerns that have grown, to the point where he feels his limited time at the club is a waste. Just one obvious sign of these problems may be Ronaldo’s signing itself. Clubs with fully defined football identities are less likely to bring in the 37-year-old because they know it is impossible for him not to impose his own identity. He is such a dominant figure that a team should become “Ronaldo FC”, where everything should be at his service. This prominence has led to a contradiction at both United and Juve, as well as a phrase heard repeatedly at both clubs: “It’s like playing with 10 men.” At least until you get the ball to him in the box. It certainly meant it was like training with 10 men. All of Ronaldo’s recent forward-thinking coaches, from Maurizio Sarri to Rangnick, have found that they realistically only have to work as a team with nine of the players off the pitch. It caused Sarri particular problems given how integrated his teams need to be. Move sets would just break down because the movement in a key area wasn’t there. In short, the sides could not be fully synchronized. It wasn’t just that Ronaldo naturally no longer has the mobility, although that was a major issue. It’s that there was often personality resistance. Training drills have been recorded with Ronaldo muttering “that’s shit” or kicking a ball away. When the Portuguese is particularly fed up with team work or automation, he has declared that training should be “fun”. How would ideologues like Thomas Tuchel or Julian Nagelsmann find it if they agreed to bring Ronaldo? Such feelings naturally carry more weight due to the player’s historical legacy in the game, a factor that has an influence on the current situation given how concerned he is with this stature. Ronaldo scores important goals for United but suffers worst Premier League season (Getty Images) Many younger players still seek him out, though even that is not a given. Leo Bonucci led a team that would challenge him at Juventus. His power at United is said to be less than he thinks. The players Ronaldo would see in his squad are Bruno Fernandes, David De Gea, Raphael Varane and – until this summer – Paul Pogba. Fernandes is of course one of those who consider Ronaldo a “hero”, but they are not particularly close. This is not to say that all accounts are those of a demanding diva. Those who look up to Ronaldo say he can be extremely supportive and is willing to engage in banter on the pitch. He never minded being teased by his teammates in this friendly way. Also seen as someone who “gets things done”. Ronaldo ensured there were much-needed improvements to some player facilities at Carrington. Here people talk about a “winner”, with “the highest standards”. It’s just that this can start to look like something else if the team doesn’t win – and it shows how each individual depends on the collective. Club captain Harry Maguire is a name missing from Ronaldo’s core group and a number of sources say the armband has been a live issue. This is due to everyone’s politics and not the role. Ronaldo’s take on captaincy is that it means you can never be dropped and if there’s one thing Ronaldo absolutely detests at this point in his career it’s the image of being benched for a big game. (AFP via Getty Images) These are pictures he really doesn’t want, especially given his legacy concerns. This is also what brings up another potential complication with his situation at United. While Erik ten Hag is currently willing to work with Ronaldo and use him as the focal point of the team, the Dutch coach was appointed because he is just that kind of progressive ideologue. If it turns out that Ronaldo is no longer physically fit for what Ten Haag wants, could we have a situation where United’s highest-paid and arguably best player is ignominiously benched? That is why the club have at least discussed his departure, even if the official position is that he wants to stay, and there is some aggravation of how this story has already played out publicly. One of the reasons United didn’t sign Darwin Nunez was because they had Ronaldo and felt the budget could be better spent on other positions in midfield and defence. It would significantly affect their plans to have to move forward. Everyone is now watching if Ronaldo will return for training or if he will go to Thailand for the pre-season. So much depends on his first face-to-face meeting with Ten Haag, not to mention when it actually happens. In the meantime, Mendes is actively working on alternatives. While clubs such as Chelsea and Bayern Munich were reluctant to move after initial discussions, the fact that Ronaldo is willing to take pay cuts could turn things around. His earnings at Old Trafford, thought to be in excess of £700,000 a week, were apparently prohibitive. Really, they were unwarranted. But Ronaldo now has bigger motivations than money. Ten Hag and United face a big decision (Manchester United via Getty Imag) This, for all these matters, is partly to his credit. He just wants to keep competing. This mindset alone can be persuasive. It is the source of these goals. It is also why a manager who had worked with this Ronaldo late in his career and knew all the attendant issues gave a telling answer when asked if he would still sign him. The answer: “I would sit with him.” That’s what Ten Haag thought. That’s what Tuchel thinks. While Ronaldo may not allow for a modern identity, the possibility that coaches almost always have is that his goals can keep you competitive while you try to instill that identity around him. It comes at a cost, beyond wages. Ronaldo is desperate to lift the European Cup again – but there is at least the possibility that the most successful player in the modern Champions League is now a major obstacle to his success.
