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Manchester United announced last night that they have agreed a deal with Juventus for the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. It was the briefest yet most dramatic transfer saga of the summer. Manchester United hijacked Manchester City's move for Ronaldo and his arrival is the icing on the cake in a fantastic summer transfer window.
Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't solve all of Manchester United's problems
Manchester United should have ideally gone ahead and signed a defensive midfielder. But there's a very good chance that it wouldn't have happened before the end of the transfer window. As such, Ronaldo's is a great signing.
With Edinson Cavani reportedly set to miss out on a number of games due to his international commitments, having Ronaldo in the squad is a great boost. Having such a mentality monster in the dressing room will help raise the bar and improve the standards of the entire team.
The effect Ronaldo will have on some of Manchester United's youngsters could be profound. The Portuguese international will greatly improve Manchester United and it's hard to find a more dangerous attacking unit than that of the Red Devils' right now.
While Ronaldo's arrival is great news for the club and the fans, there are a few individuals who could be negatively affected by it.
Without further ado, let's take a look at four players who could suffer due to Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival.
#4 Daniel James
Daniel James is perhaps the least technically refined forward in the Manchester United squad right now. But he is a workhorse who applies himself in training and is a tenacious presence on the pitch.
James is emblematic of the mentality that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to instill in his side and that's why the Welshman is very much a part of the team. Let's face it. James is a squad player. Unless there is a need to rotate or a specific job (like pegging defenders back with his pace for example) needs to be done, the 23-year-old doesn't start for Manchester United.
Ronaldo's arrival has definitely improved the Red Devils' attacking wealth. They have players like Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani who can play anywhere across the frontline.
They also have Jesse Lingard and Amad Diallo on their payroll as well. Suffice to say, Dan James has fallen further down the pecking order and we could see him feature even less in the near future. He is very likely to be restricted to being a bit-part player and that can greatly hamper his progress at a crucial stage in his career.
#3 Edinson Cavani
It didn't take Edinson Cavani long to become an adored figure among the Old Trafford faithful. The Stretford End loves its heroes and the Uruguayan won over many fans with his centre-forward play in the 2020-21 season. He scored several important goals for Manchester United and his aerial ability, in particular, stood out.
However, with Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival, Cavani might not be as important a part of the team. Solskjaer's side do not operate with two strikers. So despite having signed a new 1-year deal with the club, Cavani is unlikely to be Manchester United's main striker this season.
He is inarguably the most wonderful second-choice striker any team could ask for but it's not clear where the 34-year-old stands with respect to playing such a role. Ronaldo's aerial ability is second to none and is a great finisher too. It'll be interesting to see how Solskjaer works this one out.
But the likely outcome is that either Ronaldo or Cavani will suffer from a lack of playing time. Cavani is more likely to take the fall than Ronaldo.
#2 Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial was one of Manchester United's best players in the 2019-20 season. He scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in 48 matches across all competitions that season. Solskjaer had made him the main striker and he tried his best to repay the faith shown in him by the manager.
However, he had an extremely underwhelming outing last term, scoring just nine goals and providing seven assists in 36 matches across all competitions. This has been the story of Martial's stint at Manchester United so far.
He has been too inconsistent and despite his obvious qualities, he just doesn't seem to be able to produce the goods regularly. He fell below Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood in the pecking order last season.
Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival could be the last nail in the coffin for Martial. This season, he will need to shape up or ship out. Even opportunities will be scanty. He will also not be able to play in his preferred center forward's role as there are three proven goalscorers on the squad now.
He will need to outperform or be at par with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Greenwood to kick on at Manchester United. There is no hiding for Anthony Martial anymore.
#1 Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes thrives when he is playing almost as a second striker or a false nine. He takes up an advanced position on the pitch but also drops deep to carry the ball forward or help out in attack.
The trouble is that Cristiano Ronaldo likes to drop deep and operate in the areas that Fernandes usually plods around. Fernandes' influence can get limited when he is not the talisman of the team. This happens with the Portuguese international side where the team is built around Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fernandes is much less involved in goalscoring for Portugal. If there is a similar shift at Manchester United, Fernandes' importance and contribution could wane drastically. It might not be a good outcome in the grand scheme of things for the player and the club.
