Football: Sale of Manchester United could be 'good thing', says ten Hag

LONDON – Manager Erik ten Hag said the

Glazer family’s decision to explore a sale of Manchester United

could be a good thing and that he has been reassured any change in ownership would not impact the “objectives, goals and culture” of the club.

United’s American owners in November began looking at options for the 20-time English champions, including new investment or a potential sale, 17 years after buying the club.

The club’s fans have been clamouring for a change of ownership and the Glazers have been the target of intense criticism as the team, who have a record 13 English Premier League titles, have gone five years without winning a trophy.

Ten Hag said he had not spoken with the owners, but had instead discussed the plans with United chief executive Richard Arnold.

“My information is that it will only be good things because there will be more investment possible, which is good,” ten Hag told reporters at United’s training camp in Spain.

“We spoke about the culture we want, we spoke about objectives, goals and the culture and he (Arnold) confirmed it won’t change.

“It will be even better because more money will become available for this project.”

The former Ajax Amsterdam coach also said United needed investment just to keep up in the Premier League and that it was important the funds were spent wisely.

“Newcastle United are coming, even West Ham United, maybe not now in the table, but they have huge investment,” the 52-year-old Dutchman said.

“You can quickly count seven or eight clubs that can compete in this league. It’s also about strategy, not just money.

“But it’s clear that when you don’t have the right players and quality players, you will not be successful and achieve the targets you set.”

Separately, Cristiano Ronaldo, without a team and nursing the wounds of

Portugal’s shock World Cup exit,

has been training at Real Madrid while staying in the Spanish capital, the club said on Wednesday.

Ronaldo, 37, who is

a free agent after leaving United in November,

spent nine years at Real, where he still enjoys a close relationship with club president Florentino Perez.

The Portuguese forward, who has five Ballon d’Or titles, was accompanied by his eldest son as the pair worked out at the Valdebebas training ground.

Ronaldo was last in competitive action on Saturday as a substitute in Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. REUTERS, AFP