4 Manchester United players who could suffer due to Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival

#3 Edinson Cavani

Villarreal CF v Manchester United - UEFA Europa League Final

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

Manchester City v Manchester United - Premier League

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

Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League

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.