Erik ten Hag refused to give his opinion on Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia after Manchester United picked up a win over Wolves on Saturday.
Ronaldo wrapped up his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on Friday, signing a contract until 2025 with the club. His gigantic contract, understood to be worth £173m per year, comes a month after he saw his United contract terminated by mutual consent following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
United have not missed Ronaldo so far, with Marcus Rashford scoring for the third game in a row since the World Cup to down Wolves 1-0. Ten Hag was keen to get rid of Ronaldo after he said he felt “betrayed” by the club, and he is now keen to move on from the saga.
"I don't talk about the past, let's talk about the future,” he told reporters at Molineux when asked about Ronaldo's new club. “We made a good step today.
“First time we are in the top four, but it means nothing because it is a long way to go. We have to live from game to game, get in the position to win something."”
United moved up to fourth place in the Premier League with their third successive victory in the competition. They will aim to continue that run when they host Bournemouth on January 3.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Cristiano Ronaldo be missed at Manchester United? Comment below.
While they have successfully moved on from Ronaldo, United are in the market for a striker in the January transfer window. Having missed out on Cody Gakpo, the options are limited but Ten Hag has expressed his desire to strengthen his squad.
Ronaldo may not be on the Dutchman’s mind anymore, but he did express his delight at signing for Al-Nassr.
"I’m thrilled for a new experience in a different league and a different country, the vision that Al Nassr has is very inspiring,” he told the club website. “I am very excited to join my teammates, to help the team to achieve more success."
A statement from Al-Nassr read: "This is more than history in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome, Cristiano, to your new home."
According to Marca, Ronaldo only agreed to move to Saudi Arabia after discovering that a dream return to Real Madrid – and the Champions League – was not on the cards. The 37-year-old spent some time training with his old team following the World Cup, but Los Blancos were not willing to sign him.
He could be set for an unlikely reunion with long-term rival Lionel Messi, after it was reported that Paris Saint-Germain are heading to Saudi Arabia for a friendly in January.
