Manchester United given stern Erik ten Hag warning over Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes

Erik ten Hag must be given full control in the Manchester United dressing room - cancelling out potential pressure to play Cristiano Ronaldo at every opportunity. That's the warning from Gabby Agbonlahor as key figures in the Old Trafford boardroom prepare to make the permanent managerial appointment.

Manchester Evening News revealed three weeks ago that Ten Hag was a preferred candidate for the position and, while key figures at the club suggest no deal has been formalised, it appears to be a matter of time before ten Hag officially takes the reigns.

Ajax expect the Dutchman to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a permanent basis. With that update comes careful and specific planning for next season; within the transfer market and in-house.

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Ronaldo has scored 18 goals for United in all competitions this season. However, moving forward, there should be no onus for Ten Hag to pick him, Bruno Fernandes or any other players, says Agbonlahor.

Speaking on radio station talkSPORT, the former Premier League striker said: "If they [appoint] Ten Hag then they have to give him the assurances he wants. If he doesn't want to play Ronaldo, he shouldn't have to play him.

"Don't say that 'you have to play Ronaldo, the shirt sales, endorsements, we have to play him'. No. If he wants to completely bomb Ronaldo or completely bomb [Bruno] Fernandes, completely bomb anyone he wants, that's his assurance that he needs to play the way he wants to with his set of players.

"He might want to go younger, he might want to go [Marcus] Rashford through the middle - with [Jadon] Sancho, [Anthony] Elanga. He's got have that option. He can't have a little bit of power, he