Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Former player advises Erik ten Hag to offload Cristiano Ronaldo; Red Devils want £25 million for Barcelona target, and more - October 9, 2022
Manchester United are preparing to travel to Goodison Park on Sunday (October 9) to face Everton in the Premier League. New manager Erik ten Hag will be eager to secure all three points against the Toffees.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy reckons Ten Hag must offload Cristiano Ronaldo next year. Elsewhere, the Red Devils want £25 million to part ways with a Portuguese full-back who is being monitored by Barcelona.
Matchday on Merseyside! 👊
#MUFC || #EVEMUN
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on October 9, 2022:
Danny Murphy advises Erik ten Hag to offload Cristiano Ronaldo
Danny Murphy reckons Erik ten Hag should offload Cristiano Ronaldo this winter. The Portuguese has struggled for game time at Manchester United and has largely been used off the bench. He has struggled when called upon and looks like a shadow of his former self.
In his column for The Daily Mail, Murphy argued that having Ronaldo on the bench could affect the harmony of the Red Devils squad.
“By having him stay merely to sit on the bench or feature in the Europa League, it’s akin to having your cake and eating it. It cannot be a harmonious atmosphere when Ronaldo is in the line of substitutes. Those pictures of him and Casemiro sitting together against Manchester City, shaking their heads in disbelief, gives off the worst impression for the club,” wrote Murphy.
There are NO problems with Cristiano Ronaldo and Erik ten Hag. The story about Ronaldo not being happy under Ten Hag is “not what I’m hearing at all”. #MUFC [@FabrizioRomano]
Murphy added that there’s no point in keeping Ronaldo at Old Trafford beyond January.
“I’m not saying Ronaldo has thrown his toys out of the pram, but his mere presence as a sidelined player cannot be good for the group. When the January transfer window opens, there is no point in keeping Ronaldo because the existing issues are only going to get worse,” wrote Murphy.
He continued:
“He won’t be a mainstay in Ten Hag’s team, and the longer he is left hanging around, unhappy, the more problematic it will be for everyone. A senior player can provoke little moments in a squad if they are moody or edgy. It gets to the stage where it is a relief to the other lads when they’ve gone.”
Ronaldo has scored just once in nine appearances for Manchester United this season. He's on 699 goals in club football.
Manchester United want £25 million for Diogo Dalot
Manchester United want £25 million to part ways with Diogo Dalot, according to SPORT via Caught Offside.
The Portuguese full-back has enjoyed a resurgence under Ten Hag at Manchester United this season. He cemented his place in the starting XI as a result, prompting interest from Barcelona. The Blaugrana want more quality in their right-back area and have zeroed in on Dalot.
Ten Hag has preferred to use the Portuguese ahead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, so he might be reluctant to let him go. However, Dalot could be enticed by the opportunity to move to the Camp Nou, provided he's guaranteed regular game time.
His United contract expires in 2023, but the Red Devils have the option for an additional year. However, they could be forced to cash in on the player next summer if he refuses to sign a new deal.
Noel Whelan believes there could be mass exodus at Old Trafford
Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan reckons there could be a mass exodus at Manchester United in the coming days. Recent reports claimed that Ten Hag has asked the club's hierarchy to hand out contract extensions only to players who deserve them.
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said that Ten Hag’s decision could cause a few stars to jump ship.
“He’s still learning a lot about his players, that was clear against Man City. They capitulated – and we keep getting these performances. They’ve got a real physical and mental weakness. I can see his point. He wants strong mentalities who are going to give 100% every game.
Whelan continued:
He’s a different manager to what they’ve had. Before, they’d have handed out contracts whether they deserved it or not. He’s changing that regime,” said Whelan.
He added:
“I think it’s a good thing, and it should make players hungrier if they know they’re fighting for their careers at Man United. But unfortunately, some players know they can get a contract somewhere else just because of their names. You don’t want to keep those kinds of players anyway, so he’s now trying to find out who really wants to be a Man United player.”
The Red Devils have won four of their five games in the Premier League this season.