ERIK TEN HAG is baffled why Cristiano Ronaldo is planning a tell-all interview and insists the legend has NOT told Manchester United he wants to leave.
Old Trafford chief Ten Hag said: “I don’t know what he wants to achieve” when asked about striker Ronaldo talking up an explosive interview.
And questioned by Sky Sports the Dutchman claimed he is confident of bringing in the “right” new players before the transfer window shuts.
Ten Hag also believes the stats BACK under-fire new centre-back Lisandro Martinez.
And he reckons club chiefs made him manager to change the club’s mentality.
Ten Hag gave an “extended interview” to United legend Gary Neville and ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Friday night ahead of Monday’s huge Old clash between the two big rivals at Old Trafford.
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Nev put to the ex-Ajax chief: “One of the greatest players of all time (Ronaldo) is posting on social media that he’s going to tell the truth in two weeks.
“How does that help you? How does that help the players in the dressing room?”
Ten Hag replied: “I don’t know what he wants to achieve with that.”
Carragher then asked: “If you have a player that doesn’t want to be here, could it not be a statement for you as a manager to say, ‘Ok, the club has to move him on if he doesn’t want to be here’?”
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But Ten Hag responded: “That’s not what he is telling us.”
And asked about 5ft 9ins Martinez, who was taken off at half-time in the 4-0 loss at Brentford, he said: “The data shows he is dominating.. I could have subbed 11 players.”
Former England right-back Nev went on to suggest “recruitment – from outside – looks like a mess”.
Ten Hag insisted he was “confident” of landing the “right players, not any players” in the next 13 days.
But questioned on whether signings were his choice or the club’s, he said: “It’s together.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
