Erik Ten Hag ‘Planning’ To Replace Ronaldo With Portugal Teammate

Erik ten Hag has identified Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix as a long-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag is weighing up the idea of signing Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in January, according to reports.

Ronaldo’s future at Old Trafford is currently up in the air after falling out with Erik Ten Hag earlier this week for refusing to come on as a substitute during United’s win over Tottenham.

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Ronaldo’s contract is also set to expire at the end of the season, but recent events have accelerated the possibility of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner leaving when the transfer market reopens in January.

It seems as though Erik Ten Hag is already scouring the market to find Ronaldo’s eventual successor at United, with the Dutchman having identified Felix as a potential option to chase at the turn of the year, according to AS.

It is said that Felix has already asked to leave Atletico on three occasions and is hell-bent on finally joining a new club in January after falling out of favour with Diego Simeone.

The Portuguese forward has played just 37 minutes of football in Atletico’s last six matches and has grown frustrated with life on the bench, although the club’s hierarchy would prefer for him to depart at the end of the season.

However, a successful move for Felix in the mid-season window is likely to be ‘complicated’, with a strong showing at the upcoming World Cup almost certain to increase his valuation in the market.

A number of other clubs are also said to be keeping tabs on Felix’s situation, including the likes of PSG and Bayern Munich.

The French side are already believed to be in talks with the striker’s inner circle as they look to convince him to join their ranks in January, while Bayern are credited with a long-standing interest that could resurface if they are given the opportunity to fight for his signature in January.

United, meanwhile, previously tried to sign Felix back in 2019 before he eventually joined Atletico from Benfica for a transfer fee in the region of £113million. They went on to reach out to Atletico with a view to snapping him up earlier this year but were swiftly rebuffed by the Spanish heavyweights, who were adamant that Felix would not be sold for less than his £307m release clause.

Any move could hinge on whether Ronaldo manages to find a new club before the end of the window, though, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still desperate to leave after failing to do so over the summer.

Erik Ten Hag is reportedly willing to say goodbye to Ronaldo as a result of his clear discontent at being at the club, with their relationship said to have deteriorated sharply over the last few weeks.

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A premature termination of his contract is also said to be among the options on the table, although it remains unclear if such a drastic step will be taken by United in the not-too-distant future.

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