Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Erik ten Hag urged to offload Cristiano Ronaldo; Red Devils to reignite interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, and more - 7 April 2022
Manchester United are preparing to face Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. Interim manager Ralf Rangnick will be eager to secure all three points as he fights to secure a top-four finish.
Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher has advised Erik ten Hag to offload Cristiano Ronaldo if he arrives at Old Trafford. Elsewhere, the Dutch manager wants a Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder at Old Trafford next season.
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On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on 7th April 2022:
Jamie Carragher urges Erik ten Hag to offload Cristiano Ronaldo
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has advised Erik Ten Hag to offload Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
The Portuguese returned to Manchester United last summer but has endured a difficult second spell at Old Trafford. With UEFA Champions League football doubtful for next season, the 37-year-old’s future is up in the air.
The Red Devils are close to appointing Ten Hag as their next manager. Speaking to CBS Sports, Carragher lauded the Premier League giants for their brave decision.
“I think it’s a good decision, I think it’s a brave decision. The easy choice would have been Pochettino because he’s been in the Premier League before, so they’ve gone for a manager who’s not been in the Premier League,” said Carragher.
“So what I mean by this is he’s not managed at a big club and he is seen as this up-and-coming coach, ‘he’s new, he’s fresh’ and Pochettino’s not, he’s actually older than Pochettino, which some people don’t seem to actually know,” said Carragher.
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Carragher added that Ten Hag might have to offload Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba at the beginning of his rebuilding exercise.
“I don’t think he’s getting picked for the fact of just what he’s done for Ajax in terms of being successful because you expect that at Ajax. But what they’ve done in the Champions League in terms of getting to the semi-final, how they play their football, their performance in the group stage this season,” said Carragher.
“They’ll be disappointed to go out to Benfica but I think it’s a brave choice because I do think Manchester United now need to start making brave decisions, and some of them about the players as well, in terms of Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo need to go,” said Carragher.
Manchester United to reignite interest in Ruben Neves
Erik ten Hag could ask for Ruben Neves if he's handed the Manchester United job, according to The Sun.
The Red Devils have a long-standing interest in the Portuguese, who has been outstanding for Wolverhampton Wanderers recently. Ten Hag is already locked in advanced talks with United and is the favourite to land the job.
The Dutch manager is a huge fan of Neves and believes the 25-year-old could be crucial to the rebuilding exercise at Old Trafford. Ten Hag has already informed the club hierarchy of his desire during negotiations. The Portuguese is likely to move this summer in search of UEFA Champions League football.
Gabriel Agbonlahor claims Red Devils got it wrong with Ralf Rangnick
Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Manchester United got it wrong by appointing Ralf Rangnick as their interim manager.
The German has struggled to implement his ways at Old Trafford and is in danger of failing to secure a top-four finish this season.
Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonhalor said that the Red Devils would have finished fourth had they brought in the right person to replace the sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“What that weekend showed me was that I need to get myself out there because if Rangnick can be a manager we’ve all got a chance. He tried to play a formation that Man City play but you haven’t got the players and you haven’t coached them right,” said Agbonlahor.
He continued:
“Pogba and Fernandes took turns as a false nine. It was painful watching them try and play with a false nine. The players aren’t having Rangnick, you can tell that straight away. The lack of effort, the lack of intensity was a team that aren’t having their manager. They’ve got a big problem at Man United and that’s why I don’t think they are going to finish fourth. If they had brought in the right person in November then they would have finished fourth."