While Manchester United have been in great form as of late, beating the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham while drawing 1-1 away to Chelsea after their horrendous start to the season, a huge dark cloud hovers over the Red Devils.
And this is due to the whole Cristiano Ronaldo fiasco. The player's unhappiness became a huge talking point after the Portuguese icon refused to come on as a substitute during the club's 2-0 victory over Tottenham before storming down the tunnel and leaving the stadium altogether before full-time.
He was eventually dropped by Ten Hag for the Chelsea game as punishment and was forced to train with the kids, with the Dutch manager stressing that his behavior cannot–and should not–be tolerated.
As a result, rumors of a January exit have emerged and bitter Premier League rivals Chelsea look to be back in the hunt for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
It is no secret that Todd Boehly is a fan of the 37-year-old and enjoys a newly-found relationship with his agent Jorge Mendes. In fact, the billionaire co-owner wanted to bring Cristiano to Stamford Bridge during the summer but was met with opposition from then-head coach Thomas Tuchel.
However, Tuchel is no longer in charge of the Blues, and according to the Daily Mail, Boehly is ready to reignite his interest in the Real Madrid icon this winter when the transfer window opens back up.
Manchester United were open to bids for Ronaldo, one of their highest earners, during the summer. Unfortunately for both parties, no major European club made a bid for the goalscorer and he was thus forced to stay.
The Euro 2016 winner has wanted out of the Theatre of Dreams after their failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. His recent falling out with Ten Hag has only added fuel to the fire. However, it should be noted that Graham Potter's stance on this issue remains unclear.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was recruited over the summer and the Gabonese striker has led the line, for the most part, this season, with Armando Broja getting game time here and there. Will Potter be keen on adding a 37-year-old attacker to his squad this January? Only time will tell.
Ronaldo will likely return to the Red Devils squad for their upcoming fixture, a UEFA Europa League clash with Sheriff at Old Trafford this Thursday. Manchester United have done well without the Portuguese ace, with both Rashford and Martial impressing under the newly-appointed manager. However, both have struggled with fitness this season and as a result, Cristiano could return to the fold in Europe.
