"Of course I want Cristiano to stay, I'm looking forward to working with him"

Cristiano Ronaldo has a contract with Manchester United until mid-2023, but the Portugal international could leave Old Trafford early. He is constantly being linked with a move away this summer. 

And the new Red Devils coach, Erik ten Hag, is more than excited about the possibility of coaching the Portuguese star, to whom he has already made it clear that he is counting on him.

Just a day after pictures of CR7 in his new United shirt were leaked, giving hope to United fans, Ten Hag commented on the former Juventus man's future: "I'm looking forward to working with him. Ronaldo is a giant, from what he has already shown, and I think he is still very ambitious.

He added in a statement to 'De Telegraaf': "Of course I want him to stay. He has been very important for Manchester United this year and he can bring a lot to the team. 

Ten Hag's praise for Cristiano comes just after the Portuguese also had some nice words for United's new manager: "What I know about him is that he did a fantastic job for Ajax, that he is an experienced coach. If he does well, the whole of Manchester United will be successful. I wish him all the best and we believe we will win trophies next year.