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Manchester United 'will not sign Cristiano Ronaldo replacement in January'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 24 October 2022

Man United 'will not sign Cristiano Ronaldo replacement in January'

Manchester United will not look to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in January if the Portuguese departs, according to a report.

Manchester United will reportedly not look to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in January if the Portuguese leaves the club.

Ronaldo's future with the 20-time English champions is in serious doubt following his refusal to enter the field as a late substitute against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last week.

The 37-year-old was subsequently left out of the squad against Chelsea on Saturday, and he only has a contract with the Red Devils until the end of the campaign.

A recent report claimed that Man United are prepared to let Ronaldo leave on a free transfer in January, with Chelsea believed to be showing an interest in his signature.

There have been claims that the club would look to sign a forward in January if the Portuguese departed.

Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Manchester United on October 13, 2022 © Reuters

However, according to The Athletic, the Red Devils would not be in the market for a Ronaldo replacement despite their limited options in the final third of the field.

Anthony Martial's injury problems this season mean that Marcus Rashford has largely featured as the centre-forward for the English giants during the 2022-23 campaign.

Man United had few attacking options on their bench against Chelsea on Saturday, with Anthony Elanga ultimately featuring through the middle for the final 10 minutes of what proved to be a 1-1 draw.

According to Marca, Ronaldo will sit down with Ten Hag on Monday with a view to resolving the current situation.

Should the talks to successful, the attacker could be back involved in first-team training this week and potentially feature in the club's Europa League contest with Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday night.

Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United training on October 12, 2022 © Reuters

Man United football director John Murtough recently said that the club's spending over the summer means that it is unlikely they will be active during the January transfer window.

The Red Devils spent in excess of £85m to sign Antony from Ajax late in the window, while they also paid in the region of £70m to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid.

Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen also arrived over the summer, while Martin Dubravka made the move on loan from Newcastle United.

Man United have another six games to come before the campaign breaks for the 2022 World Cup, taking on Sheriff, West Ham, Real Sociedad, Aston Villa twice and Fulham.