Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Admits Manchester United Made a Mistake by Re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has candidly admitted that the club made a mistake by re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021. Speaking at the Oslo Business Forum, Solskjaer revealed that the decision was motivated by a desire to prevent Ronaldo from joining Manchester City, but ultimately backfired.
Ronaldo’s return to United was hailed as a coup at the time, with the Portuguese superstar netting 24 goals in 38 games across all competitions in his first season back. However, his presence had a profound impact on the dressing room, with some players reportedly feeling overshadowed by his presence.
“I think maybe that affected the whole dressing room, the dynamic in the dressing room,” Solskjaer said. “Maybe other players felt less important because of course this is one of the world superstars that comes in.”
Solskjaer’s comments come as a surprise, given that he was heavily involved in bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford. However, his confession highlights the difficulties that arose from Ronaldo’s return, which ultimately contributed to his departure from the club.
Despite his success on the pitch, Ronaldo’s influence off the pitch was deemed detrimental to the team’s cohesion. His high profile and demanding nature created a sense of tension in the dressing room, which ultimately led to his exit in January 2023.
In hindsight, Solskjaer believes that the club would have been better off not signing Ronaldo. “Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and in the name of hindsight, it went wrong,” he said.
The decision to re-sign Ronaldo remains a controversial one, and Solskjaer’s admission will likely be met with mixed reactions from Manchester United fans. While some will welcome his honesty, others may feel that he is seeking to deflect criticism from his own managerial failures.
Despite this, Solskjaer’s comments offer a fascinating insight into the inner workings of Manchester United’s dressing room during Ronaldo’s second stint at the club. As the Red Devils look to rebuild and move forward, it is clear that the Ronaldo experiment was a costly mistake that will not be repeated anytime soon.
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