Related Articles
Cristiano Ronaldo has already handed Erik ten Hag the perfect advice regarding one of Manchester United’s newest soon-to-be signings.
The Portugal international enjoyed two spells at Old Trafford, the second under Ten Hag, before departing for Saudi Arabia in 2022. Ronaldo’s time with the Red Devils will often be remembered for all the right reasons, given his success after arriving from Sporting Lisbon as a teenager.
Going on to etch his name into footballing folklore, the former Real Madrid star knows a thing or two about how to win and compete at the very top, having done so now for the last 20+ years. With Ten Hag looking to steer the Red Devils back that way, Ronaldo in the past has offered some advice to one of the club’s summer incomings.
Matthijs De Ligt, who moved from Ajax to Juventus in 2019, said he wouldn’t have done so without Ronaldo’s kind words of advice. The pair played together on 68 occasions in Turin, staggeringly only losing 12 games in that time.
“After the final I was already sure I wanted to join Juve,” De Ligt admitted after the Netherlands faced Portugal in the Nations League final in 2019. “It was a big compliment to have [Cristiano] Ronaldo ask me to join, but it didn’t make the difference.”
De Ligt is now only 25 and has learnt from his spells in Holland, Italy and Germany. Having worked under Ten Hag previously, it is clear the Manchester United boss feels as though the imposing centre-back can add another dimension to his defence in an important campaign at the Theatre of Dreams.
Speaking about De Ligt last month, Ten Hag said: “I wanted to sign him two years ago but at that time, he was already very far along to join Bayern. Believe it or not, his name did not come from me in the process.”
Furthermore, INEOS have secured a double deal with Vincent Kompany’s side, with fellow defender and former Ajax man Noussair Mazraoui also set to join the club. The Morrocan international is set to provide healthy competition for Diogo Dalot after Aaron Wan Bissaka left to join West Ham United.
