Manchester United are failing to heed Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo warning

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford was supposed to signal the return of Manchester United as a Premier League superpower. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s arrival, coming after suggestions of a move to Manchester City, was heralded as the signing that would bridge the gap to their neighbours.

Less than 12 months on, challenging City is the least of United’s worries. A disastrous season has left new manager Erik ten Hag with an almighty rebuild task just to have them fighting for the top four again, and Ronaldo’s future is the subject of debate. That being said, United are adamant that reports of his potential exit are well wide of the mark.

The Portuguese ace was of course one of a very select few that could hold their head up high after last season. In fact, United fans would no doubt shudder at the thought of where they would have been had Ronaldo not been there to dig them out of various holes.

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Heading into the summer then, the task seemed clear – put together a team deserving of Ronaldo’s stature, and show that there is progress being made after last season’s calamity. Thus far, that objective has not been met.

While the likes of City, Liverpool, Tottenham and even Arsenal have gone about strengthening themselves early in the window, United are still wrangling with a cash-strapped Barcelona to try and get their first deal over the line. The reaction has been slow, and United should know by know how costly that could be – after all, it’s how Ronaldo ended up back at Old Trafford.

The parallels between United and the state of Juventus last summer are eerily similar. Even with Ronaldo in their ranks, the Italian