Ruud van Nistelrooy gave his all for MANCHESTER UNITED during his five seasons at Old Trafford, when the Dutchman rose to the status of a club legend.
In many ways, Cristiano Ronaldo is Manchester United's contemporary Ruud van Nistelrooy—at least, the Ruud van Nistelrooy of 2006. Despite being a talented and lethal goal scorer, his younger teammates consistently outperform him. And it will be fascinating to see what happens with the transfer window closing in less than 24 hours.
Ronaldo notified United back in June that he was interested in leaving for a team that could guarantee him Champions League eligibility, something the Red Devils are unable to accomplish in light of their sixth-place finish the previous season.
Since then, he has attempted to arrange a transfer, hoping that a premier European team will intervene on his behalf and give him his enormous wage.
But that hasn't actually happened. In the modern era, a player who is widely regarded as the best the sport has ever seen just isn't thought to be worth the gamble.
Despite scoring 24 goals in all competitions last season, Ronaldo is viewed as a bygone figure. His finest years are behind him at the age of 37 rather than ahead of him.
In the public spotlight, Erik ten Hag has displayed a remarkable amount of composure. He stated on Tuesday that Ronaldo would remain, saying, "From the beginning, we said we planned with him.
During his time at Old Trafford, Ruud van Nistelrooy was at his best for Manchester United (Image)
"We're thrilled to have him here, he's happy to be here, and we want to have a successful season as a team."
When asked whether he and the Portugal international had any private conversations, Ten Hag responded, "Several times, sure. We are all on the same page.
"The demands are set by the style of play. It is evident during training that he possesses the skills.
I don't need to explain why he will fit in. He plays the game so well. He will blend in with any system or fashion.
It appears that Ronaldo is changing his mind about participating in the Europa League for the first time. Throughout his illustrious career, a tournament he had never entered.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo both have championships to their names with Manchester United (Image)
Although United has officially stated that they want him to stay, the reality behind the scenes has been quite different.
It has been widely known that Ten Hag has been open to selling the Portugal international in private over the entire summer.
He believes that the Ronaldo spectacle has turned into an unwelcome diversion as he works to revive the defunct Premier League heavyweights, who haven't come close to winning a trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
The Red Devils, though, are now likely to be stuck with him.
When Ferguson determined that Van Nistelrooy's finest years were behind him rather than ahead of him in 2006, everything was very different today.
At Old Trafford, Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has replaced Ruud van Nistelrooy. (Photo)
The international player from the Netherlands had been prolific in the years before, scoring 150 goals and becoming Old Trafford history.
Only Mohamed Salah has surpassed his mark in recent years, having managed 44 in the 2002–2003 season alone.
Van Nistelrooy's relationship with Ferguson, though, began to deteriorate as Wayne Rooney and a young Ronaldo threatened to overtake them as the top players in the world.
Being kept out of the team for the 2006 EFL Cup victory over Wigan, a game in which Ronaldo and Rooney both scored, infuriated him.
Ferguson then made the decision to release Van Nistelrooy as his attitude grew worse.
Sancho and Rashford are thriving for Manchester United as Ronaldo deteriorates. (Photo)
It has parallels to the present, when Jadon Sancho and Rashford have begun to resemble their genuine selves without Ronaldo by their sides.
Despite their flaws, those two are Ten Hag's team's future, and the Dutchman is well aware of this.
With Antony arriving from Ajax, Ten Hag has added another player whose development he won't let Ronaldo impede.
It's feasible that the Red Devils will cash in if a Champions League team makes a serious offer for Ronaldo.
Instead, it appears that he will remain. Time will tell if that has a positive or negative effect on United.
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