Manchester United are reportedly still unsure whether Cristiano Ronaldo will jet off with the squad for their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.
The 37-year-old is understood to have informed the Red Devils of his desire to leave after being left less than impressed with a lack of early transfer activity.
Ronaldo supposedly respects Erik ten Hag as a coach and insists that the issue is now with the Dutchman, but rather the owners' ambition in the market.
As a result, the Portugal international does not feel that the Red Devils will be in a place to challenge for titles under Ten Hag next season, and he is desperate to win one more European Cup before he retires as a player.
Ronaldo is said to have missed pre-season training for the third day in a row on Wednesday, with the club accepting his claim that 'family reasons' were behind his absence.
© Reuters
Man United begin their pre-season schedule with their trip to Bangkok to face bitter rivals Liverpool on July 12, and the squad are expected to fly out before the end of the week.
However, with Ronaldo yet to make his return to the training pitches, The Times reports that club chiefs are growing increasingly unsure of his place on the plane.
The report adds that the veteran attacker is unlikely to be fined given the nature of his late return, but he could also miss the subsequent fixtures with Melbourne Victory, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in Australia.
Ronaldo ended the 2021-22 season with 24 goals and three assists under his belt from 38 games in all competitions, including 18 strikes in the Premier League under Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Portuguese's efforts could only help Man United achieve a sixth-placed finish, though, meaning that Ten Hag will be leading his side into the Europa League in the 2022-23 season.
© Reuters
A multitude of top clubs across Europe have been linked with a summer swoop for Ronaldo, namely Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Sporting Lisbon, but Oliver Kahn has ruled out the prospect of the German champions striking a deal.
Agent Jorge Mendes is understood to have met with both Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly to discuss a move, and the Blues are now reportedly preparing an official bid.
Barca president Laporta recently refused to deny that Ronaldo was a topic of conversation with Mendes, telling the press: "I'm not going to talk about the players we discussed at dinner. "It's always interesting to talk to him and find out about certain players on the market."
It has been claimed that Chelsea are willing to stump up a £14m offer for the former Real Madrid and Juventus man, who is under contract at Man United until 2023 with the option of a further year.
Ben Knapton
