Manchester United are planning for the rest of their pre-season tour without star player Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo did not fly with the squad to Bangkok for the first leg of the tour, with United's star player given extra time off to deal with 'family issues'. But the Red Devils are now understood to be planning for the remainder of the tour in Australia without their iconic No.7 – raising fresh doubts over his future.
Despite Ronaldo's camp letting it be known he wants to leave this summer, United have reaffirmed their stance that the 37-year-old is not for sale. Ronaldo has a further year left on his £480,000-a-week contract, but wants to leave after just a year back at United, to join a club that can offer Champions League football.
One player who is set to join up on the tour is Cristian Eriksen, with United confident of completing his signing later this week. Free agent Eriksen has agreed a three-year deal with United and is undergoing a stringent medical before the move can be confirmed.
After the midfielder's cardiac arrest playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, United were obliged to put Eriksen through a more rigorous medical than normal. United hope Eriksen – who would become Erik ten Hag's second signing – can join the squad for the Melbourne leg of the tour.
Are you excited to see Christian Eriksen in a Manchester United shirt? Have your say in the comments!
But a deal for United's major summer transfer target, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong, is still some way from being done. Although a broad agreement has been reached between Barca and United, De Jong is owed around £17million in deferred wages and bonuses by the Spanish club.
The deal cannot proceed until that payment is made to De Jong, who played under Ten Hag at Ajax. That could see United look elsewhere, to Leicester's Youri Tielemans or Ruben Neves of Wolves.
