Manchester United signed Cristiano Ronaldo but the transfer has been met with implications for Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani and their futures at Old Trafford.
Signing of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United has been met with widespread acclaim. Current and former players instantly queued up to voice their delight at the return of arguably the greatest player in the modern era to bolster Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
But behind the scene, events suggest that not everyone is as thrilled as Bruno Fernandes, Raphael Varane, and other leading players.
The opportunity to sign Ronaldo whilst too good to turn down, came at a time when United already believed they had established their attacking options for the season ahead.
Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial were expected to share the burden as central strikers alongside Mason Greenwood. But those plans have now been torn up by CR7’s arrival who will seemingly slot in as the first-choice in the attack.
This has sparked Deadline Day talks involving both players and the possibility of an exit. Solskjaer and United want to keep both Cavani and Martial in their squad and they are in no pressure to sell.
But it is claimed that Cavani’s agent has held talks with Barcelona late in the window whilst intermediaries have also proposed Martial to Paris Saint Germain in the unlikely case if Kylian Mbappe departs.
It seems that talks over Cavani and Martial on exiting Old Trafford are coming from their side, rather than being initiated by United. At this stage, it seems unlikely that either player will be able to find a buyer this late in the window.
But the initial discussions that have allegedly been held certainly suggest they might be looking for a way out.
Additionally, Cavani has been left frustrated by the League’s refusal to release him for international duty with Uruguay whilst Martial’s lack of playing time has been a source of discussion early in the season.
The major change, however, has been the arrival of Ronaldo, shifting both players a step further down the pecking order in an area where there are already a host of big-name options.
Even if talks to depart are ultimately unsuccessful, there is certainly a suggestion that both may not be entirely thrilled by Ronaldo’s arrival and what it means for their careers.