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FootballBruno Fernandes Appears to Hint Man United Are Better Off without Cristiano Ronaldo
- Bruno Fernandes has suggested Manchester United are better off without the unsettled Cristiano Ronaldo
- Ronaldo is yet to link up with the rest of the Manchester United squad for the pre-season amid reports he is looking to leave the club
- However, his absence has had little to no impact on United's pre-season tour, with the club off a bright start under Erik ten Hag
Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes has aimed a subtle dig at Cristiano Ronaldo following the Red Devils' 3-1 thrilling win over Crystal Palace in a pre-season friendly.
Ronaldo is yet to report to camp even as he faces an uncertain future with the Old Trafford-based club.
It is understood that the 37-year-old is keen to dump United this summer, barely a year after he re-signed for the Premier League giants.
Erik ten Hag has been forced to deploy Anthony Martial up front in the absence of Ronaldo, with the Frenchman partnering Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.
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Bruno Fernandes hints Man United are better without Ronaldo
Incredibly, Martial has appeared to flourish, with a section of fans now claiming he can replace the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
With United off ona hot start under Ten Hag, Fernandes has suggested that the team is much better without Ronaldo.
Speaking after the Crystal Palace pre-season clash, the Portuguese playmaker said:
“The three guys up front [Sancho, Rashford and Martial] are really aggressive in the press," The Mirror quoted Fernandes saying.
"When they press they make the last line squeeze, and makes the midfield come a little bit higher," he added.
Fernandes' remarks came at a time it is unclear if Ronaldo will link up with United ahead of the new season.
Buffon names Ronaldo among the greatest teammates he has had
The real reason Thomas Tuchel is ‘reluctant’ to sign Cristiano Ronaldo explained
FootballEarlier, Sports Brief reported Gianluigi Buffon has included Cristiano Ronaldo among his top five best footballers he has played with.
The two football legends had a chance to play together after Ronaldo sealed a summer move to Juventus in 2019.
Buffon also named Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Kylian Mbappe, Lilian Thuram, and Neymar among the greatest non-Italian footballers he had the opportunity to share a locker room with.