Manchester United can banish Cristiano Ronaldo mistake with £100m summer transfer

While Manchester United's second pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo was a short-term rocky romance, should they replace him with his younger international team-mate then it could prove a match made in heaven.

Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford was a volatile relationship that paired some magical highs with dispiriting lows. The marriage couldn't last and, on the eve of the World Cup in Qatar, club and player parted ways.

A matter of weeks later, Ronaldo found himself out of the Portugal side for a crucial knockout game against Switzerland. Preferred in his place was a player about to make his mark on a global audience.

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Goncalo Ramos earned just his fourth cap in that last-16 tie but his hat-trick carried his nation to a stunning 6-1 success and a spot in the last eight. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. This was the same Ramos who, on his debut for Benfica in 2020, came off the bench against Aves with five minutes to go and scored twice.

He is a player destined for the top and United are among the admirers. Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen might be above him in the summer striker search but Ramos is attracting Erik ten Hag's attention. The 21-year-old has smashed in 24 goals for Portuguese league leaders Benfica as they close in on the title, while he also helped the Lisbon side to the last eight of the Champions League. His star is on the rise and he's already earned a seal of approval from Old Trafford skipper Bruno Fernandes.

The pair are team-mates on the international stage and the United man feels Ramos has the attributes to succeed at the very top. His goalscoring talent is married with a work ethic and a willingness