Manchester United starlet Anthony Elanga has defended team-mate (for now) Cristiano Ronaldo on his criticism of younger players during his explosive interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV.
Ronaldo spoke about a number of topics including his relationship with manager Erik ten Hag, the Glazers and he also complained that young players have it too easy in the modern game compared to when he was coming through.
Quite surprisingly, Elanga has publicly defended Ronaldo’s comments while making it clear that he is focused on his football and not getting distracted by phones or other forms of technology. The only young players he praised were Diogo Dalot and Lisandro Martinez.
Speaking to Aftonbladet, the 20-year-old Sweden international said: “Cristiano [Ronaldo] talks about young players in general. We are a new generation. I am always 100 per cent focused on what I am doing, but I can understand what he is saying.
“There are a lot of phones and a lot of technology. It’s quite easy for young players to get distracted and lose focus.
“I always focus 100 per cent on my job and what I do. Young players at United are listening, but I can understand what he is saying.”
He added: “It is quite difficult. Everyone has their phones and I have friends in Manchester and in Sweden who want to find out what has happened. I don’t know that myself. I only know what others have heard. Hopefully I will find out the truth.
“I try to switch off. But everyone is curious, my family is almost the worst, they always want to know. That’s how it is. I might be able to say more after I get back to the club team and find out what actually happened.”
When quizzed on Ronaldo’s impact at Old Trafford, Elanga was complimentary on how the five-time Ballon D’Or winner helped him on and off the pitch, saying: “He has helped me a lot not only on the pitch but off it as well. He is an inspiration, not only to me but to all the young players at United. Sometimes it’s just me and him at the gym.”
The sooner this Ronaldo situation gets solved the better.
