Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was manager but the former manager now admits the high-profile transfer was a mistake
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was manager but the former manager now admits the high-profile transfer was a mistake Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was manager but the former manager now admits the high-profile transfer was a mistake
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that Kieran McKenna advised him not to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.
And the former United boss admits he now considers it a mistake to have brought the Portugal legend back to Old Trafford for a second term.
McKenna, who is now in charge of Ipswich Town, was working as an assistant to Solskjaer when Ronaldo returned following a dozen years away.
He analysed six games of Ronaldo’s for Juventus and, as Solskjaer told Norwegian outlet NRK, decided that the club would be better off strengthening another part of the team.
Solskjaer said McKenna asked: “How are we going to defend ourselves?”
He added: “It was probably a wrong choice for all of us. But we felt it was the right decision then and there.”
Ronaldo scored nine goals in 13 appearances under Solskjaer following his return before falling out with interim boss Ralf Rangnick and being moved on to Saudi Arabia early in Erik ten Hag’s reign.
Solskjaer, 51, also told NRK that he now considers himself all-but retired and is spending his time watching football as a fan while working as a match analyst for UEFA and adding the finishing touches to his dream house in Kristiansund.
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The former goalscorer could be tempted back for an international job but he is also not willing to travel too far from home, while refusing to discuss if he had been close to taking the Denmark vacancy earlier this year.
He added: “I think that a national team could suit me. But then it can’t be on the other side of the globe. I had two options, but it would have taken half a day to travel, and there is a time difference in the picture, so I opted out. Even if I could then take part in the championship.”
Solskjaer then said a national team should only be coached by a man from that country, adding: “I think it sounds more correct. Then you get an indication of how good that country is, without so much help.”
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