Breaking: Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo to play for Manchester United against Rayo Vallecano

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training on Saturday and will be in the squad for Manchester United‘s friendly with Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday.

And he missed the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia for personal reasons.

On Saturday, he posted a photo alongside several young United players showing he was back in training.

“Working in progress,” he wrote, alongside an image of himself with team-mates Charlie McNeill, Amad Diallo, Charlie Savage and Hannibal Mejbri.

Ronaldo, 37, was left out of United’s squad for Saturday’s friendly with Atletico Madrid in Oslo.

But speaking after that match, which United lost 1-0, Ten Hag told reporters: “Tomorrow he will be in the squad. We’ll see how long he can play.”

On Friday, Ronaldo suggested he would face La Liga side Rayo Vallecano.

Commenting on a post by a Ronaldo fan page about him missing the game in Norway, he wrote “Domingo, o rei joga”, which translates as “Sunday, the king plays”.

United said players not in the 21-man travelling squad for the Atletico game – which includes new signings Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen – “will take part in Sunday’s game against Rayo Vallecano, while others are ill or injured”.

Ronaldo met United manager Erik ten Hag on Tuesday and is understood to have reiterated his desire to leave the Old Trafford outfit. He also missed Wednesday’s match against Wrexham that was held behind closed doors.

Ten Hag has previously said Ronaldo is “not for sale” and “in our plans”.

Ronaldo returned to United last season after spells with Real Madrid and Juventus.

While he finished as the club’s top scorer, United endured a disappointing season, missing out on Champions League qualification after finishing sixth in the Premier League.

 

That means Ronaldo, who has a year left on his United contract plus an optional year, faces playing in the Europa League for the first time.

It is not something he is viewing with relish and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner feels there could be more attractive options available to him at this stage in his career.

Chelsea ended their interest in the player earlier this month, while he has also been linked with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

Atletico fans have urged their club not to get involved in discussions around signing Ronaldo.

United open their 2022-23 Premier League season at home to Brighton on Sunday, 7 August.

And they announced on Saturday that Benni McCarthy had joined their backroom team as a first-team coach.

The former Blackburn and West Ham striker left his post as AmaZulu head coach in March after guiding the South African team to second position in the league.

He will specialise in coaching attacking plays and positioning.