Cristiano Ronaldo has put Manchester United in a difficult position this summer.
While you can certainly criticise the club for heading into the season with a 37-year old striker as their only reliable option up front, they were expecting the Portuguese superstar to play a big role for them once again in the campaign ahead.
That is now very much in doubt. Ronaldo is apparently keen to secure a move away from Old Trafford during the current transfer window as he seeks to ensure he is playing in the Champions League during the twilight of his career.
It is hardly ideal timing for Manchester United. Such a request at this stage of the summer leaves them scrambling to find a potential replacement, having previously been focused on strengthening the midfield and defence. They reportedly have no interest in allowing their big name forward to leave.
It seems that few at the club saw the request coming, although one man reportedly did see what could be waiting in store.
Ralf Rangnick wanted Cristiano Ronaldo to be sold
The Athletic are reporting that Ralf Rangnick requested that Manchester United sell Cristiano Ronaldo on a number of occasions during the January transfer window.
His reasoning was that the player would be leaving the club in the near future anyway, meaning United should have just bit the bullet and sold him then so they could already recruit a replacement more suitable to the requirements of the modern game. Football director John Murtough and chief executive officer Richard Arnold turned down the request.
As is always the case at Old Trafford, it seems highly likely that commercial concerns played a role in the decision to keep him at the club.
They now could end up paying for that decision. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are the only players capable of playing through the middle that is currently available for selection in the squad. Neither of those have convinced as a central striker, while the latter could well be on his way out of the club before the end of the window.
Ralf Rangnick rubbed plenty of the people the wrong way during his short time at Manchester United, largely down to the fact that he pointed out some uncomfortable home truths while in his role as interim manager.
In the long-term, he will probably be proven right on the majority of those issues.
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