Manchester United can scout their perfect Cristiano Ronaldo replacement tonight

Over the last few weeks the obituaries to Cristiano Ronaldo's career at the pinnacle of the game were beginning to get their first draft.

A run of one goal in 10 games - mostly against mediocre opposition - to start 2022 had fuelled the idea that the 37-year-old had begun the inevitable spiral downwards from the heights he'd been operating at consistently for the best part of 15 years. Ronaldo returned to Manchester United on a two-year deal but recently attention has begun to turn to the prospect of needing an upgrade on someone with 800 career goals as early as this summer.

Then came a performance so seismic on Saturday evening that it didn't just prolong Ronaldo's career, but maybe that of Tom Brady's too. The NFL great was as awed as the rest of us as he watched from the directors' box and less than 48 hours later Brady has reversed his retirement from his own sport.

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With Edinson Cavani definitely leaving this summer United still need to sign a striker. Ralf Rangnick has made it clear a young forward is a necessity in this window, but with obvious target Erling Haaland clearly headed elsewhere, there may be a desire to use funds to strengthen in midfield and simply sign a striker who can fill in for Ronaldo, rather than replace him.

After a difficult start to the year, his stunning hat-trick was the affirmation that there is plenty of life in him yet. If Ronaldo can continue in that vein between now and the end of May then the next United manager may feel confident that they go into 2022/23 with a striker who turns 38 during the campaign as their leading marksman.

But even if that is the case it is only shunting a big decision further down the road. If United's