Cristiano Ronaldo will not fly with Manchester United to pre-season tour

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be in the Manchester United squad that will fly to Thailand on Friday afternoon to begin the club’s pre-season tour because of an ongoing family situation.

The 37-year-old has been granted additional time to address the matter, after missing training all week for the same reason. It is in the balance whether Ronaldo will join the 15-day trip that starts with Tuesday’s game against Liverpool in Bangkok before moving on to Australia, where United play three games in Melbourne and Perth.

Although the forward previously informed the club he wishes to leave, United’s stance remains that Ronaldo has a year left on his contract and is not for sale.

During the tour Erik ten Hag will hope the proposed signing of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong can finally be sealed, the transfer having been held up because of about £17m the midfielder is owed in deferred wages.