£107m signing linked to Cristiano Ronaldo transfer; £42m striker also involved

Manchester United's firm stance on Cristiano Ronaldo's future at the club has altered after back-to-back defeats to start the new Premier League campaign. Erik ten Hag is now ready to see the back of the Portuguese star after initially claiming Ronaldo was not for sale.

The five time Ballon d'Or winner's position was clear since before the start of the season. Ronaldo wanted out of Old Trafford after what has been a difficult second coming to the club where he first gained global recognition.

The 37-year-old's agent, Jorge Mendes, has been shopping Ronaldo around Europe's top clubs with little success all summer. The likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and domestic rivals Chelsea have all turned down the chance to sign the superstar.

According to The Times, Atletico Madrid is the only club that has shown genuine interest in signing Ronaldo despite backlash from their supporters. The La Liga outfit is ready to offer one of Antoine Griezmann or Alvaro Morata as part of the deal, which could see both clubs benefit.

Griezmann has been a long-term target for United, but he rejected the Old Trafford club's advances in favour of joining Barcelona in a £107 million deal from Atletico in 2019. The France international is currently on a two-year loan back from the Catalan giants with an obligation to buy.

Ronaldo remains open to return to Spain, where he will get a chance to again play in the Champions League. However, he risks ruining his legacy at Real Madrid, where he won four European titles, apart from numerous other team and individual honours.

Meanwhile, the Ronaldo deal is not United's only agenda with Atletico before the transfer window ends. The Red Devils are in desperate need for attacking reinforcements, and have identified Atletico forward Matheus Cunha as a potential target.

The Brazilian forward, who joined the La Liga club from Hertha Berlin in 2021, is at the top of United's forward shortlist. Moreover, Cunha is open to moving to Old Trafford after struggling to nail down a regular starting spot under Simeone last season.

However, the 20-time English champions will have to fork out at least £42 million to convince the Madrid club to let him leave. The Spaniards also hold all the cards in when it comes to the negotiations owing to Cunha's long-term contract until the summer of 2026.