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Former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes Manchester United should have signed Harry Kane instead of Cristiano Ronaldo if they were serious about winning the Premier League title this season.
Writing in his column for the Daily Star (via Sports Review), Paul Merson believes Cristiano Ronaldo is not the same player he once was and will not help Manchester United win their first league title since 2013. The former Arsenal player believes Manchester United should have signed Harry Kane instead.
He said:
“If Cristiano Ronaldo wins the league at Manchester United it will be the biggest thing he’s ever done in football. But he won’t because he’s not the same player any more – and if you’re not going to win the league with him, I don’t see the point in signing him."
"Harry Kane wins you the league. With the money they have spent on Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo, surely you try and get Kane? I think he would have gone there. United are the biggest club in the world."
Paul Merson has also warned Manchester United fans that Cristiano Ronaldo is just half the player he was back when he played under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Arsenal legend believes his signing will just help Manchester United sell more shirts and nothing else. Merson added:
“Signing Ronaldo is great for the fans. The king is back. But it frustrates me. You sell shirts with Ronaldo. You win the league with Kane. I said on Sky the other day that Ronaldo is half the player he was. United fans don’t like it. But that’s just a fact. He’s not going to beat three players with a stepover and bend it into the top corner any more.”
Manchester United wouldn't have tried to sign Cristiano Ronaldo before Manchester City bid, says Merson
Paul Merson has made yet another controversial claim by suggesting that Manchester United only swooped in for Cristiano Ronaldo because they did not want him to join Manchester City. Merson said:
“Call me a pessimist but I don’t think United would even have tried to sign Ronaldo if Manchester City hadn’t come in for him first. They just didn’t wan him going to City."
“If United wanted Ronaldo so badly why weren’t they on the phone to Juventus all summer trying to do it? They weren’t first in line. City were."
Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at Manchester United was arguably the biggest transfer of the summer window. The 36-year-old forward is set to make his second debut for the club against Newcastle United on the 11th of September at Old Trafford.
Also Read: David James' column - Ranking the 5 greatest full-backs of all time
