Wayne Rooney insists Manchester United should let Cristiano Ronaldo leave and begin building a side that can win the Premier League in years to come.
The Portuguese star has made it clear he wants to quit Old Trafford, even though United have held firm on their stance that he won't be sold. Talks continue between the relevant parties but, as things stand, Ronaldo is expected to see out the final year of his deal.
Erik ten Hag is very much leading a rebuild in Manchester and, with Ronaldo turning 38 this season, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is not a long-term solution for the club - which was cited when they signed him around 12 months ago. Rooney has urged his former side to take a long-term view and replace their current talisman with a younger forward who can lead a title charge in the future.
"I think United should let Cristiano Ronaldo go," Rooney wrote in The Times. "It's not that Ronaldo can't play in a Ten Hag team. He can play in any team. Ronny will always score you goals. But my personal view is that United aren't ready to challenge for the title now, so the aim has to be to build a team that can win the league in the next three to four years, and you have to plan for that.
"If the reports are true that Cristiano wants to leave the club, then United should allow him to go and get a No 9 in who is going to be there for the next three or four years and really help them build a team that can be successful. Ten Hag has to be given time to do it."
Ronaldo was United's top scorer last term, but there was a school of thought that suggested his presence was counter productive for the team, despite his individual numbers stacking up. United went from second to sixth and their lack of Champions League football is a factor in Ronaldo's desire to leave.
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His agent Jorge Mendes has held showdown talks with United officials, but so far no resolution has been found. Ronaldo's representatives also need to find a buyer for the veteran forward, who no longer has the appeal he once did due to his age profile.
As they plan for the future United have been linked with Red Bull Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko. The teenager forward has been tipped for big things but the Austrian outfit, who unearthed the talents of Erling Haaland, have slapped a £50m price tag on the player and he looks set to remain with them for a further year.
