Potential Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag seems to have played his hand on how he is going to get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo should he be appointed to the role this summer.
According to the Times, the Ajax boss is now the frontrunner for the United gig and one of the big questions he will have to address is how to get the best out of the Portuguese superstar.
Having produced several big moments this season, Ronaldo has been the subject of criticism, mainly due to his work rate off the ball and his failure to find the consistency that is expected of a five Ballon d’Or winner. It will be up to Ten Hag to help the Portuguese international to find this form and it is reported that he will follow a plan set out by Ronaldo.
As outlined by a report in The Athletic, Ronaldo is hopeful United will deploy new tactics ahead of next season that will bring the best out of him by signing another striker and playing two up front.
Man United have identified Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, the man who knocked Ten Hag’s Ajax out of this season’s Champions League, as a potential partner for Ronaldo, according to The Athletic.
It is believed the Uruguayan striker will fit the demands of a higher pressing system and would add much-needed energy to the attack to complement Ronaldo’s goal-scoring abilities.
With Ronaldo’s contract set to end in the summer of 2023, Nunez would also be a good option to lead the club forward as the spearhead of the team.
The Benfica striker is having a stellar season having scored 26 goals in all competitions so far. United will certainly have competition for a player of Nunez’s calibre but if they can pull it off it will be a big boost, for both United and Ronaldo.