Manchester United's main sponsors are reportedly putting pressure on the club to keep Cristiano Ronaldo in the latest development in this summer's transfer saga. The stakeholders are reportedly unhappy about the stance taken by the 37-year-old Portuguese, with persistent rumours suggesting that he already has his heart set on leaving the club.
Ronaldo's future at Manchester United has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after the player instructed the club to accept suitable offers that may arrive for his service. Not long after the supposed request, his agent Jorge Mendes met with Todd Boehly and the new Chelsea ownership, sparking a rumor mill that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could be on his way to Stamford Bridge.
Nevertheless, United are not willing to succumb to Ronaldo's demands and maintain that the player is not for sale as he looks to secure Champions League football elsewhere. Although the team has already flown out to Bangkok in Thailand to kick-off their pre-season with a clash against Liverpool, the Portuguese forward had been amiss, as he is yet to return from his vacation.
On Friday, however, it was revealed that by Mirror UK that the club had extended Ronaldo's break for "personal reasons". With Chelsea supposedly knocking on the door of Manchester United, the latter has issued a firm response that they are not considering the sale of the winger any time soon.
According to Mirror UK, the headline sponsors of the Red Devils have now stepped in to save the day, having played significant roles in assisting the club to afford the player's £500,000-a-week salaries for a return to Old Trafford. In hindsight, they are well focused on tapping into Ronaldo's huge commercial reach before his contract finally expires in 2023.
Meanwhile, after being given extended time off for personal reasons, Cristiano Ronaldo is still expected to join Manchester United's pre-season tour. The arrival of the Portuguese superstar is expected to be followed by crunch talks with new boss Erik ten Hag who has already made his admiration about the player known.
