Ronaldo to Real: a disaster waiting to happen?

Manchester United are confident Cristiano Ronaldo will not leave for Real Madrid this summer but new comments from the winger make it clear that nothing has been decided about his future, which begs an obvious question. Could United survive without him?

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has insisted that his current side is the best he has had and will add to the European Cup they won on Wednesday, but at Times Online we cannot help but wonder if would they have achieved nearly as much as they did this year without the Portuguese genius.

After all, despite not being a centre forward, he scored 31 of his side's 63 goals in a successful Premier League title race that they won only on the last day of the season, while playing well enough overall to win both domestic player of the year awards.

The 23-year-old was similarly instrumental to their triumphant Champions League campaign, too, scoring seven goals in nine appearances, including their only one from normal time in the final against Chelsea in Wednesday.

But perhaps even more revealing is United's recent record when he is not playing. Of the six matches that they lost this season, which included four in the league and one in the FA Cup, Ronaldo started only half of them.

And yet statistics do not nearly tell the complete story. Anybody who has watched United this season will know that Ronaldo is by far their most threatening player and the fulcrum to many of their best moves. As Francesco Totti said, to stop United, you stop Ronaldo.

What, then, are the potential implications of what he said shortly after the win on Moscow?

Answering a question on a reported possible move to Real Madrid, he said, "I never promise nothing . . . I will know the following week." Sources say that he was referring to ongoing contract negotiations in which he has asked to be made the best paid player in the world.

United have not said how willing they are to accede to his demands, but Real's intent is clear. "If he wants to come," Ramon Calderon, their president, said. "We can pay what they ask."

Could that spell the unravelling of Ferguson's master plan? Tell us what you think.

Comments

[Kelly Khoo]

No doubt he's since learnt to channel his tricks into goals but the boy's got plenty of growing up to do and no one can discipline the boy better than Fergie can.

Look at his penalty. Enough of the childish theatrics. Cech certainly didn't fall for it.

And the scene 0f him sprawled on the pitch bawling. Nothing much has changed isn't it? Smacks of dejavu.

[raysagres]

MAN. U. can resolve the CR7 problem real fast by stepping up and pay him what he deserves and he is yours for the next two years.The more you watch this kid at his craft the more you are in awe of his talent,case and point what if Man. United had a big target such as a healthy SAHA playing center forward at the end of CR7 crosses,what would have happen to Chelsea? answer it would have been a blow out.In concluding CR7 can get better which is hard to believe.

[Zan]

I personally don't think that Ronaldo will be able to get to do this well elsewhere except Man Utd. It depends on the tactics and how the team plays. If Ronaldo leaves for Real Madrid, he might not have the freedom to play as his current role in Man Utd.

The only person who can play him as he is now is none other than Alex Ferguson.

[Eddy]

Well if I recall quite well,Ronaldo wasn't on when United played Arsenal in the FA Cup this season.They can play well without him.Sure he brings something special,but his departure wouldn't spell the end for United.This year's success was a team effort.Van Nistelroy also scored his fair share of goals for United,yet in their first season without him they won the Premiership,reached the fa cup final and the champions league semi final.There will just be a redistribution in goals should he leave,and United will move on as they,ve always done.

[Matt]

Would Arsenal suffer without Cesc? Liverpool without Gerrard? Chelsea without Lampard? Undoubtedly YES in all cases as they epitomise the style of each team.
Any team would be poorer for losing Ronaldo but I believe that this would place greater responsibility AND grant freedom to Rooney who would flourish. The money could be used to re-invest and we WOULD survive.

[red dawn]

Ronaldo should be sold asap if utd get 60 million it would go to help the billion debt they have,Surely nobody in his right mind thinks any player is worth that cash and I am sure fergie is playing mind games with his real counter part to get a better price. Today nobody would reject 60 million with the oil prices going up to 130Dollars a barrel! wake up to reality utd before its to late Ronald dough could be your life saver!

[MJ]

If Ronaldo goes he goes and United will move on.

Sure he has had an exceptional season, and scroed critical goals, but if he goes he will command a fee in excess of £50m and we will replace him with anohter awesome player... or two or three.

Maybe next season will be a struggle but United have lost their best players before - Cantona, Beckham and Keane. They have a track record of greatness, rebuiling and reconquering. Enjoy next season if he leaves those second rate teams - Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool - because any blip won't last!!!

[john pownall]

United would be an ordinary team sans Ronaldo. I say that as a United fan. They have nothing else up front at all. Sadly, Rooney is not the player we expected him to be.He is good, but not great. Tevez is a reasonable player.United have fewer attacking options now than I can ever remember them having. Even a transfer fee of £60 million would not make up for Ron going, if he does. Expect a few years of drought, if Christiano's out.

[Steven]

No-one is bigger than the club. SAF has adapted before and will adapt again, and a few years rotting in the Spanish 'competition' will see Ronaldo plateau dramatically.

[Al Fields]

As an Arsenal fan there is nothing more I would want to see is Ranaldo leaving for Spain. But as a football fan I dont want him to leave english football. United will be be lost without his goals. People talk about the deadly threesome of Ronaldo Rooney and Tevez scoring 72 goals this season. But If you take Ronaldo's goal tally away, They aint so deadly with Tevez and Rooney scoring just 30 goals between them!

[James]

I think a move to Madrid would be a mistake for Ronaldo. Surely, two or three more seasons in the Premiership wouldn't hurt him? He has come on in leaps and bounds anyway by learning his trade in one of the most physically demanding and fastest football leagues in the world.

Without him, United would dither. Tevez and Rooney, though tireless, do not have the honed attacking instincts of Ronaldo. Carrick is still no Scholes, though he has improved and he is an exceptional professional he doesn't score enough goals. Hargreaves is another tireless, aggressive player but he also lacks the sharpness of thought and skill that Ronaldo has. Nani might cut it but beyond his crossing ability, he is a poor decision-maker and that hurts a side more often than not. The one bright spot in terms of personnel is Anderson. He could become world class in his position very quickly indeed and is a player that could really step up and come into his own over the next two seasons.

Clearly, United would certainly struggle to score goals and break open tight games without Ronaldo. But the loss of Giggs and Scholes to Ferguson's team should not be underestimated either.