Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Manchester United yet again on Monday evening, with his goal from the penalty spot ensuring that he has scored in four straight home games. The strike was his 18th of the season in the league and the 37-year-old is by far United’s most potent threat in front of goal.
Ronaldo’s goalscoring has shown no signs of slowing up and despite speculation over his future, the striker has another year remaining on his current deal at Old Trafford.
Following the 3-0 win over Brentford, Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United captain Roy Keane gave his two cents on the matter and insisted that Ronaldo should be kept.
🗣 “I would certainly be holding onto Ronaldo.”
Roy Keane believes Cristiano Ronaldo warrants staying at Manchester United beyond the summer. pic.twitter.com/JArO7BbneZ
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 2, 2022
Read more: (Video) Brentford manager says he loves what Man Utd fans did for Christian Eriksen
“I do, yes, my own personal opinion,” he told Sky Sports, via Football Daily, when quizzed on if he wants Ronaldo to stay at Manchester United this summer.
“You don’t know what’s going on in the background. Ronaldo’s body language tonight, at the end of the game, certainly wasn’t suggesting that he was leaving.
“I just look at the goals he’s got, his performances, warrants staying at the club. But Man United have to get players around him, they have to get other strikers in there.
“There has to be competition for players. If your leading goalscorer, the man you’re depending on is 37 years of age, then that’s certainly not good.
“But I would certainly be holding onto Ronaldo. You might have to have the conversation, of course, the way you’re going to play or ‘you’re not going to play week in week out’.
“But why would you get rid of a player who scores so many goals? I don’t see the logic in it.”
SN’s verdict…
Manchester United’s summer rebuild is already enormous and replacing your top goalscorer is another huge obstacle, if United choose to go in that direction.
There is nothing to suggest that Ronaldo is going to score fewer goals next season and Erik ten Hag, the incoming manager, is likely to be keen on keeping Ronaldo at the club.
Ten Hag has worked wonders with Sebastien Haller at Ajax, which shows that he is not opposed to using a striker who doesn’t always frantically press.
