Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United, once seen as a coup, is now judged by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a strategic error. The former Red Devils manager admitted that the signing of the five-time Ballon d’Or in 2021, at 35, unbalanced the team despite the numerous goals scored by Ronaldo. In a podcast for the Norwegian media NRK, Solskjaer even revealed that Kieran McKenna, then his deputy, had warned against this recruitment.
“Probably a bad choice” says Solskjaer
McKenna, now manager of Ipswich, felt it would have been wiser to concentrate on defense rather than bringing back Ronaldo. Looking back, Solskjaer acknowledges this point, adding: “ It was probably a bad choice for everyone. But at the time we thought it was the right decision “. Although the return got off to an auspicious start, tensions with Solskjaer’s successor Erik ten Hag marked an untimely end for Ronaldo, who left the club in 2022.
