MY ACCOUNT
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha cannot believe “insane” claims that Cristiano Ronaldo was a bad signing for the Red Devils.
Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in the last transfer window and is comfortably the club’s top scorer in all competitions this term, scoring 12 times from 17 appearances – seven clear of the next-highest scorers Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood.
The 36-year-old also has the highest expected goals tally of any United player across all competitions with 9.67 – Fernandes is next with 3.46.
Saha – who played for the Red Devils between 2004 and 2008, scoring 28 times in 86 Premier League appearances for the club – does not see how anyone could view the acquisition of Ronaldo as anything but a success.
“It’s insane to say that [Ronaldo was a bad signing]. Absolutely insane,” Saha told Stats Perform.
“I’ve heard so many people jump on the bandwagon and criticise him because he’s missed a game, people blaming the sacking of Solskjaer on him because he’s ‘a hard player to manage.’
“He guarantees you goals and [people] say this? I was baffled, but at the same time you look at his career and he is someone who wants to win and to score goals. That is such an asset. It’s unbelievable to average 40 goals a year – 30 would be amazing.”
Saha insisted that Ronaldo does not need to press to be effective in Ralf Rangnick’s system, explaining that the Portugal international is not only a goal threat, but that his presence creates space for his team-mates.
“I think he [adapted] straight away,” he continued. “He arrived as a 36-year-old playing on the wing who can score goals.
“People say he needs to press – that’s not why he’s here. He’s here to score goals. He opens up opportunities for others, whereas before it was all about Fernandes or maybe [Anthony] Martial.
“Cristiano could have scored recently but played the ball to [Donny] Van de Beek instead, showing he’s a team player as well. If he’s playing well United will win.”
Ronaldo will be hoping to add to his six Premier League goals this term as United face strugglers Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday.
