"He’s a serial winner" - Frank McAvennie suggests Cristiano Ronaldo could demand Ten Hag to make few big signings for Manchester United

Former Scottish top-flight winner Frank McAvennie believes Cristiano Ronaldo could urge new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to make a few statement signings.

Ten Hag will take over what looks like a daunting task at Old Trafford this summer. Reports have suggested that a massive clearout could be in store, with the Red Devils requiring many new players to bolster an imbalanced squad.

There were even reports from Sports Illustrated that Ronaldo, who was the club's standout player last season, could leave in the summer. However, Ten Hag has confirmed that the Portuguese superstar is in his plans (via the Independent).

McAvennie has now said that the Dutchman has to 'get hold' of and have a conversation with Cristiano Ronaldo while planning for the 2022-23 season. He told Football Insider:

“First thing, he’s got to do is get the players on his side. The main guy in the dressing room is Ronaldo, and he wants to keep him around. He’s got to go and speak to him now – and he may well have already done so over Zoom. He’s got to get hold of him, because he’s exactly the sort of player you need in your corner.”

The former Celtic and West Ham United striker added that despite their recent struggles, United still have the pull of a big club. He said:

“Anthony Martial and those kinds of guys will soon be back around the first team. He’s got to move them on quickly. He needs to bring in big players. Let’s be honest; Man United are still among the biggest clubs in the world. So they’ve got to be in the market for these huge players.”

McAvennie concluded by calling Ronaldo a 'serial winner', adding that the 37-year-old would want players with a similar mentality around him at Old Trafford:

“Ronaldo will be demanding that," said McAvennie. "He needs people around him who match his ambition – he’s a serial winner," he added.

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Cristiano Ronaldo was excellent in dismal 2021-22 season for Manchester United

Manchester United ended the 2021-22 campaign in sixth place in the Premier League standings, settling for UEFA Europa League football next season. They also exited the EFL Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League prematurely and employed three different managers during the campaign.

Cristiano Ronaldo, though, stood tall among his much younger peers for the Red Devils, scoring 24 times and providing three assists in 38 games across competitions. Ronaldo will hope to build on those numbers next season under Ten Hag.