As Jürgen Klopp enjoys a transfer advantage, Cristiano Ronaldo just complemented Liverpool.
Just a year after returning to Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly pushing for a move away from Old Trafford, much to the delight of Liverpool supporters.As preseason workouts begin, Manchester United, a bitter rival of Liverpool, has been shocked by the revelation that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to quit the team.According to reports, Ronaldo is worried that United won't be able to contend for the greatest prizes this year. He wants to be realistically able to win league and Champions League crowns as he nears the end of his career at the age of 37.
The Athletic claims that the number seven has grown "frustrated with a perceived slow start to the window" and is keen for the Red Devils to "meet his ambition by improving the squad."
He has witnessed Kalvin Phillips' potential signing and Erling Haaland's signing by the defending champions, Manchester City. Meanwhile, Liverpool has agreed to what may up up being a record-breaking contract with striker Darwin Nez.
What about United? Tyrell Malacia, a 22-year-old fullback from Feyenoord, will now officially become Erik ten Hag's first acquisition, and the deal is expected to cost him roughly £13 million.
But at Old Trafford, Malacia is likely seen more as a squad player than as someone who will immediately improve the starting lineup.
The Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was coached by the Dutchman and won the 2018–19 Eredivisie Player of the Year Award, is the person Ten Hag most wishes to see again.
It's fair to say, though, that the 25-year-pursuit old's has dragged on. Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, has stated that "we have no intention of selling him [and] he wants to stay" as recently as this past weekend.
De Jong has previously expressed his satisfaction with life at the Nou Camp, regardless of public posturing. He may be interested in joining United, but he isn't exactly excited about it. He may not be actively promoting the change, which may be part of the reason the drama has dragged on for weeks.
It appears that Ronaldo has already made the decision that Ten Hag won't be able to compete with City and Liverpool in the upcoming season. He is indirectly complimenting the Reds with his anxieties.
He clearly has a positive opinion of their company. As with City, they have acquired one of the top young strikers in the world of football.
Due to Sadio Mané's transfer to Bayern Munich, some Liverpool supporters may question whether their team is actually stronger than it was the previous year. However, Ronaldo appears to think that the gap between the two major competitors, which was at a dizzying 34 points at the end of the previous campaign, has only grown at the moment.
But all of this also shows how expectations have changed for Liverpool and City. It's important to note that the transfer window only started operating a little over three weeks ago, on June 10, and that it has two more months before its deadline of September 1.
There are still five weeks until the Premier League season opener, despite the accelerated season start.
However, there is already a sneaking suspicion that United are in trouble, one that has been drastically heightened by Ronaldo's request for a transfer.
Undoubtedly, clubs need to move quickly now more than ever. It's possibly the largest pre-season in recent memory because the winter World Cup will shorten the 2022–23 club calender. A manager has the opportunity to do their most important tasks now, before a hectic three-game schedule takes hold and the need for rest starts to impact the caliber of training.
In general, though, City and Liverpool are premier players who have lifted the bar in both the Premier League's top division and lower divisions. Nowadays, pursuing players over the full transfer window is viewed as a sign of dysfunction. Clubs are expected to behave firmly and quietly while implementing long-term strategies.
Liverpool's scouting division is notorious for making plans two to three windows in advance, so when trade starts, they are focused. It's telling that within a week of the initial rumors of genuine interest, the majority of new players appear to be posing for pictures at Kirkby.
Whether intentionally or not, the opening of the window has further damaged United's reputation.
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