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    Cristiano Ronaldo told to ‘join Bournemouth’ as he’s ‘part of the problem’ at Man Utd amid horror run of form

    CRISTIANO RONALDO has been told to ‘sign for Bournemouth’ and that he is ‘part of the problem’ at Manchester United.The Portuguese star is on his longest barren run in front of goal for over a decade as the Red Devils’ form continues to slump.
    Cristiano Ronaldo has been told to ‘sign for Bournemouth’Credit: EPA
    The legend has also been told that he is ‘part of the problem’ at Old TraffordCredit: EPA
    After being held to a draw at home to Southampton on Saturday, the Old Trafford side are facing a major battle for a top four finish.
    Ronaldo returned to United in the summer and is their top scorer so far this term with 14 goals in all competitions.
    But after going six matches without finding the net under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, questions are being asked about the 37-year-old’s ability to still perform at the top level.
    Speculation has been mounting that the Portuguese superstar wants talks with his agent Jorge Mendes next month and could quit United in the summer.
    Now former Sky Sports anchor Richard Keys, speaking on beIN Sports, has said the legend should be sold sooner rather than later.
    He claimed: “Jorge Mendes was talking to senior Manchester United executives about leaving at the end of the season.
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    “My own view of that is that he should he leave now.
    “I’ve been of the opinion all season long that I think he’s as much a part of the problem – not the whole problem – as anything and anybody else.
    “The other night, when he went running down the tunnel at Turf Moor, having recently lectured everyone about being the leader he believes himself to be and that youngsters don’t do the sorts of things he does…how does that encourage team spirit in the dressing room?”
    Co-host Andy Gray replied: “That was not good to see. Totally wrong for him to do that. He’s obviously disappointed at not playing.
    “He’s playing against Burnley, bottom of the league, he’s thinking ‘there’s a few goals in this for me’.
    “He is 37 years of age and knows he’s running out of time to play top football. You want to try and play as many games as you can.”
    Keys then added: “That’s fine then, go and sign for Bournemouth and you’ll play every week.”
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford More

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    Man Utd to offer David de Gea a new deal just six months after his Old Trafford career looked over

    DAVID DE GEA will be offered a new deal — six months after his Manchester United career looked over.De Gea, 31, has been the shining light in United’s stumbling season and won January’s Premier League Player of the Month.
    David de Gea has been a rare bright spark for Man Utd this term and will be offered a new contractCredit: Getty
    Now, the club plans to trigger a 12-month option extending the Spanish keeper’s contract to June 2024, buying time to thrash out fresh terms.
    Old Trafford chiefs also realise they need to bend on their standard policy of offering players shorter deals on lower wages when they hit their 30s.
    That means De Gea can still expect to pick up something close to his current £375,000 a week and have the security of a longer-term contract.
    It signals a remarkable turnaround from losing his place as No 1 to Dean Henderson.
    SunSport revealed how De Gea cut short his holidays and returned to training early.
    It paid off as he has started every league game and a United insider said: “David was determined to show everybody he was still the No 1 and prove he had a future here.
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    “His last contract took nearly 18 months of discussions. The club are determined to sort things quickly this time.
    “They believe he’s the best in the world and see no reason why he can’t carry on for years.”
    De Gea meanwhile has blasted his United team-mates as they gave up ANOTHER lead to draw 1-1 with Southampton.
    The stopper wrote on Twitter: “The situation needs to improve and fast. We have to learn that this is not enough.”
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    Man Utd player ratings: Sulky Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal drought continues as silky Jadon Sancho breaks Old Trafford duck

    MAN UTD produced a patchy performance once again as they dropped two more points against a lesser side.It was a bright start from the Red Devils, as in their previous game at Burnley, you could argue that it should have been more than 1-0 at the break.
    Che Adams puts it past De Gea for the vital equaliserCredit: AFP
    Ronaldo was visibly frustrated with both Southampton and his own teammatesCredit: PA
    Counter-attacking Man Utd were sensitive at the back but had plenty of chances to double the lead, which came back to haunt Rangnick’s side as they conceded within minutes of the second half.
    The Reds got more and more frustrated as the game went on and pressure built from the Old Trafford crowd.
    Ronaldo thought he had broken his goal drought from a free-kick but it was given offside.
    Here’s how SunSport’s Alex Cole rated each United player on the day.
    DAVID DE GEA – 5/10
    Decent save from a Stuart Armstrong volley in the first half.
    A good finish from Che Adams but De Gea should have expected the ball to come across his body and into the far post.
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    DIOGO DALOT – 4
    Bombed forward at every opportunity but looked vulnerable defensively.
    Made Fraser Forster pull off a solid save in the second half when Dalot got into the box.
    RAPHAEL VARANE – 4
    Lost at sea for the Southampton goal.
    Broja had the better of him a few times.
    HARRY MAGUIRE – 4
    No communication with Varane for the Southampton goal.
    An extremely clumsy tackle on Broja which could very much have been a penalty.
    Nearly scored from a header in injury time.
    LUKE SHAW – 5
    Great work rate as usual.
    Fantastic curling free-kick which Maguire nearly buried.
    Played goal scorer onside but the whole back four was disconnected.
    MARCUS RASHFORD – 6
    Started the game by running at Perraud at every opportunity.
    Brilliant run down the right-hand side and slid the ball into Sancho for the goal.
    Switched wings with Sancho throughout but wasn’t as effective down the left.
    PAUL POGBA – 5
    The positive version of Pogba turned up to start, but then went missing deeper into the game.
    Summed up his day when booked for a frustrated push on Jack Stephens.
    SCOTT McTOMINAY – 5
    Assured at defensive midfield duties. Booked in the first half and walked a tightrope for the rest of the game.
    Sancho celebrates after finishing a fabulous Man Utd counter attack in the 21st minuteCredit: Rex
    JADON SANCHO – 7
    Caused a Ronaldo strop by not squaring the ball to him in the box.
    Good positioning for the goal and took it well.
    BRUNO FERNANDES – 7
    Incredible through-ball into Rashford to set up the move for the first goal.
    The Portuguese international was the main spark for United. His creativity opened up Southampton a few times.
    CRISTIANO RONALDO – 6
    Not his best game but always capable of something magical.
    Rounded the goalkeeper but could not get past Romain Perraud.
    Forced a save from Forster from a powerful left-foot volley.
    Stroppy throughout.
    SUBSTITUTES
    Anthony Elanga (for McTominay, 75) – N/A
    Elanga looked active but not enough of a chance to affect the game.
    Jesse Lingard (for Rashford, 81) – N/A
    Only got a few minutes of action again. Got a yellow card and not much of the ball.
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    Rangnick tells Man Utd stars not to panic if games go against them and says Cristiano Ronaldo is not club’s only ‘issue’

    RALF RANGNICK has told his troops ‘don’t panic’ if games are going against them.Manchester United have dominated the first halves of their last two matches but lost on penalties to Middlesbrough and drew away to Burnley.
    Boss Rangnick tells his team to ‘stick to the game plan’Credit: Getty
    Ronaldo is not the only issue, Rangnick saysCredit: PA
    It appears they don’t like it up ‘em, as corporal Jones from Dad’s Army would say, when the tide turns against them in the second half.
    German Rangnick said: “The players have realised that we have developed in the last couple of weeks in and out of possession of the ball.
    “But if we concede a goal against Middlesbrough, it was after 60 mins and Burnley 50 mins, we should stick to the game plan, not lose shape, composure, this was the most harmful part, we didn’t have the same positioning on the pitch.
    “This is what we spoke about when we analysed the Burnley game.
    “If the other team scores a goal in football, we have to be aware of why we were so dominant before that and not lose structure, and lose shape.
    “This was obvious for some 15 to 20 mins against Burnley, it got better at the end but in those 15 mins we lost that shape.”
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    United have been creating chances, but missing them.
    Ronaldo, who came on as a sub at Burnley, has scored just once in his last seven games.
    Rangnick said: “It’s not only about Cristiano, we should score more goals.
    “It’s obvious we are creating chances and opportunities in the last couple of games but are just not scoring enough goals.
    “It’s not just an issue with Cristiano, it’s an issue with other players, we don’t score enough goals.
    “If you bear in mind how many chances we create, it needs to get better in coming weeks.
    “In the first half against Burnley, it was very, very, close to the game plan we spoke before the game and now it’s about rewarding ourselves with the results we deserve.”
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    Teddy Sheringham blasts Man Utd’s ‘ABSURD’ decision to hire Ralf Rangnick and feels for next manager

    TEDDY SHERINGHAM has blasted Manchester United’s ‘ABSURD’ decision to hire Ralf Rangnick.And the iconic Treble winner believes the club’s next manager faces a tough ask in turning things around.
    Teddy Sheringham reckons it was an ‘absurd’ decision for Man Utd to hire Ralf RangnickCredit: Getty
    Sheringham reckons there’s more turbulence to come when United hire a new boss this summerCredit: The Sun
    Rangnick has struggled to impress since replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim boss in November.
    United are sixth in the Premier League table and crashed out of the FA Cup last week to Championship side Middlesbrough.
    The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford are struggling for form.
    And United’s latest slip-up saw them held to a draw by lowly Burnley on Tuesday.
    Sheringham, who scored 46 goals in 153 games for United, believes his old side made the wrong call in hiring Rangnick as an interim.
    And Red Devils fans should brace themselves for more turbulence as the next boss will need to start from scratch this summer, with Mauricio Pochettino in the mix.
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    Sheringham told Genting Casino: “In the main, when we’re talking about Man United, I think the real problem is goes back to Rangnick coming in, another interim manager, it’s just absurd for me.
    “United had an interim manager in Michael Carrick, they let him go and appointed another, it just brings uncertainty to a group of footballers that should be playing at their highest level.
    “It’s another season lost when you have that sort of vibe, you only need to chop and change and rotate the team a few times and you’ve got a lot of unhappy players.
    “If he leaves at the end of the season, and then someone completely different, like Mauricio Pochettino, comes in, it’s a whole new vibe of how you want to play football. 
    “This season’s going to be lost. It will be wasted and you have to start again. If the next manager brings in his own staff, his own players – it’s just a whole new revolution again. 
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford
    “It’s such an absurd situation I see at Man United, and that’s why you get uncertainty, that’s why you get the differences of performances in the Man United team at the moment.
    “Unless the United board have got something up their sleeve that is defined, with a manager coming in with the whole summer to go and do what he’s got to do, then I’ll understand, I’ll hold my hands up and say, ‘Do you know what? It’s a great plan, perfect’.
    “But at the moment, from the outside looking in, you just think, ‘What is going on? What does the next six months hold for Manchester United, where will they go?’” More

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    Cristiano Ronaldo ‘DISILLUSIONED with life at Man Utd with agent Jorge Mendes set to meet star for showdown talks’

    CRISTIANO RONALDO has reportedly become ‘disillusioned’ at Manchester United and is planning showdown talks with his agent.The Portuguese legend was all-smiles off the pitch as he celebrated his 37th birthday last weekend.
    Cristiano Ronaldo has become ‘disillusioned with life at Man Utd’Credit: Getty
    He is set to hold showdown talks with his agent Jorge Mendes next monthCredit: Getty
    However, on the field his woes continued as the Red Devils were held by Burnley on Tuesday with the star only making a cameo off the bench.
    That result was a serious blow to United’s top four hopes and came just days after they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Middlesbrough – a game Ronaldo missed a penalty in.
    The forward is also on his worst goal drought for over a decade and is yet to score in 2022.
    Sun Sport exclusively reported previously that Ronaldo could quit Old Trafford if they fail to reach next season’s Champions League.
    Now the Daily Star claims he is hoping to have face-to-face talks with super-agent Jorge Mendes when he returns to Portugal next month for their crunch World Cup qualifier with Turkey.
    Ronaldo is still United’s top scorer with 14 goals since he made his triumphant return to the club in September.
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    But his form has dropped dramatically since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked and replaced with interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
    He remains under contract at United until at least 2023 – with the option of a 12-month extension.
    However, this fresh report states that he is anxiously awaiting to discover who United appoint as their next permanent manager.

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    Wayne Rooney did NOT want Sir Alex Ferguson to speak in Amazon Prime documentary in huge snub to Man Utd legend

    WAYNE ROONEY DID NOT want Sir Alex Ferguson interviewed in the film of his life.Ferguson, who nurtured Rooney through the best years of his career, was not asked to contribute to the film released today on Amazon.
    Sir Alex Ferguson was snubbed by Wayne Rooney for his new documentaryCredit: Amazon Prime
    Wazza did not want his former Red Devils manager to speak on his documentaryCredit: Getty
    Rooney’s Everton manager David Moyes and his last Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho both contribute to the life story of the Red Devil’s greatest-ever goalscorer.
    But astonishingly no approach was made to United’s greatest ever manager Ferguson to contribute to the film entitled simply ‘Rooney’.
    While the pair fell out twice during their time together at United, Ferguson is understood to have been more than happy to have contributed to the film.
    In the end all there was from the club’s legendary boss was a few snippets of footage from the archives.
    Bizarrely Sir Alex was invited to Wednesday night’s world premiere of the film at Home cinema in Manchester but was already committed to a prior engagement.
    Ferguson recently contributed to a film of Bryan Robson’s life.
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    He has done likewise for two up-and-coming films about Arsene Wenger and David Beckham.
    Ferguson had some legendary battles with Wenger but the two are now good friends.
    Beckham left United on bad terms with Ferguson in the summer of 2003 and joined Real Madrid.
    The two have since made up.
    Wayne and Coleen Rooney smile on the red carpet outside the premiere of the Amazon Prime ‘Rooney’ documentary in ManchesterCredit: Splash
    Credit: Reuters
    Wayne Rooney’s desire to quit Man United in 2010 was front page newsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    But the wounds from the bust-ups between Ferguson and Rooney have clearly not healed on Rooney’s part.
    There was barely any reference in the film to the influence Ferguson had on his career after buying him as an 18-year-old from Everton.
    It did touch on Rooney’s attempts to leave the club in 2010 due to what he perceived as a lack of ambition under The Glazers.
    While he stayed on, Rooney fell out with Ferguson in the manager’s final months as manager in 2013 over him constantly being pushed into different positions.
    Ferguson said following his final home game that Rooney had asked for a transfer but the player subsequently denied this and played on for the club until 2017.
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford More

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    Cristiano Ronaldo is a symptom, not the cause, of Man Utd’s decay and the need to rely on a 37-year-old is alarming

    CAN he do it on a wet night at Burnley in February? The chance would be a fine thing.On Tuesday evening, Manchester United dropped out of the Premier League’s top four once more, as Jay Rodriguez’s first goal in 50 league games earned relegation-threatened Burnley a precious point at Turf Moor.
    Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, came on as a substitute during the draw with Burnley on Tuesday nightCredit: Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo had to make do with a spot on the bench, and critics have pointed to his poor form as the reason for United’s latest slump.
    The Portuguese legend isn’t the problem at United though – the owners and the decaying culture they’ve allowed to fester is. 
    Standards have dropped on and off the pitch and it’s caught up with United.  
    Ronaldo’s failure to score at Burnley means that he is now on his longest goal drought at club level for over a decade. Yes, it’s a fact, he’s not the player he once was.
    But, he’s 37 and there’s much more to it than that. That United need to rely so heavily on the veteran tells you all you need to know about the direction they are currently heading. 
    Ronaldo’s return home has been far from a disaster, but when he left in 2009, United were World Club champions with a squad packed full of the finest players in Europe, and with a manager and facilities to match.
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    Fast forward 13 years and after nearly a decade without a Premier League title, United will be lucky if they qualify for the Champions League next season, never mind getting anywhere near winning a trophy.  
    United sacrificed style under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, in the hope that their ageing superstar signing could drag them to silverware. From a personal point of view, Ronaldo will tell you he’s delivered, and his goal record suggests he has, but at what cost?
    Twelve months ago, United looked like they were one or possibly two players away from having a title challenging side – at the moment it looks like they need eight or nine just to make them consistent top four challengers.  
    The problem isn’t Ronaldo, it’s the club’s owners who jump from one knee-jerk reaction to another. They’ve talked about a plan and a process, but they signed Ronaldo to keep him out of the hands of Manchester City, just like they did with Alexis Sanchez.
    Ronaldo will be at Old Trafford until at least the summer. In the meantime, manager Ralf Rangnick has to play a system that suits his striker better, and helps him rediscover his goalscoring touch.
    ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford
    There’s so much uncertainty around the club at the moment and it’s been another season to forget.
    The fantastic feeling that swept over the club and across fan base when Ronaldo returned last year has long gone – and it’ll take another short-term fix WITH Ronaldo to try and repair some damage before the new manager comes in and embarks on yet another rebuild.
    For more of Tom’s views, visit his Twitter account:
    https://twitter.com/MrTomMcDermott More