Erik ten Hag has reiterated Cristiano Ronaldo remains part of his plans at Manchester United as the transfer window draws to a close.
Ronaldo has started just once under the former Ajax head coach this season and has failed to impress in his substitute appearances.
The Portugal great was United's top scorer on his return to Old Trafford last term, but they slumped to a disappointing sixth-placed finish and missed out on qualification for the Champions League.
Ronaldo – the competition's record marksman – has reportedly been keen to return to the Champions League in this window, with links to several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Napoli and Atletico Madrid.
A move is yet to materialise, though, and the deadline is looming on Thursday.
When asked whether Ronaldo would remain with United ahead of their trip to Leicester City earlier on Thursday, manager Ten Hag replied: "It is clear. We need quality players and you need more to cover all the games to keep the consistency going. That's what we strive for.
"We still need to strengthen the offensive department because we have many games to cover."
United are close to completing the signing of Ajax winger Antony in a deal that cause rise to £85.6million (€100m), having already announced an agreement, while Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is reportedly set to arrive on loan.
Although he will remain alert, Ten Hag believes Antony and Dubravka would mark the final incomings of the window, with the Dutchman also confirming Aaron Wan-Bissaka will remain at the club despite speculation linking Barcelona full-back Sergino Dest with a move to Old Trafford.
"I think so for this window, it will be the end [no more transfers after Dubravka]," Ten Hag added. "But when there is a great opportunity, you always have to be alert as a top club.
"Aaron will stay. This squad will go from September to a minimum January."
Guardiola expecting challenging season for injury-hit Man City
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's current injury problems will make it harder for them to repeat the success of recent years.
Depleted by a number of injuries to key players, the Premier League champions saw a 32-game unbeaten league run ended by a loss at Bournemouth on Saturday after a midweek reverse at Tottenham in the EFL Cup fourth round, marking the first time City have lost successive matches in all competitions since September 2023.
While Guardiola says he is aware of the expectations surrounding his team, he knew they were likely to suffer more defeats due to injuries and the increasing level of their opponents.
"I know our standards, but we've lost just one game. Maybe we are going to lose again in the Premier League against Brighton and against Tottenham and against Liverpool," Guardiola told reporters, referring to their next three Premier League games.
"We are just two points behind Liverpool, who are a top-class team. We've started well in the Champions League, but I know people expect us to win 38 league games and win the treble every season as these are our standards.
"The reason it is difficult is because we have had a lot of absentees, which can happen in some seasons.
"Sometimes, to win the treble, everything has to be on the same page with injuries, but this is not possible this time. The teams are very strong and everything is more difficult, and we have to accept that. That is the challenge."
City will be without Ballon d'Or winner Rodrigo and Oscar Bobb for most of the campaign, while John Stones, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias remain sidelined and have not travelled to Portugal.
Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker still have problems despite being in the squad, Guardiola said, and Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho are improving, while Erling Haaland is fit.
City sit third in the Champions League standings after two wins and a draw and are looking for a third consecutive European win at Portuguese champions Sporting CP, who are eighth but also have seven points and are unbeaten across all competitions this season.
Guardiola's side claimed a resounding 5-0 win at Sporting when they met in the 2022 Champions League last 16, and are looking to extend their record run of unbeaten games to 27 in the competition.
"They play quite similar like we faced two seasons ago, the pattern is so clear," Guardiola added.
"They have changed players but have the same manager and same mentality," he said, referring to Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, who will take over at Manchester United at the start of the international break.
Neymar suffers fresh injury blow
Neymar sustained a new injury as he was forced off during Al-Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite win over Esteghlal.
Aleksandar Mitrovic plundered a hat-trick on Monday to seal a 3-0 win.
But Al-Hilal's victory was soured by an injury to Neymar, who had to make way just 29 minutes after he came on as a second-half substitute.
The Brazilian, who has just returned from over a year out of action following a serious knee injury, was forced off with what appeared to be a thigh issue.
Indeed, Monday's appearance was only the 32-year-old's second for Al-Hilal since his comeback.
He has featured just seven times for the Saudi Pro League champions in all competitions since his big-money move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.
Amorim: Man Utd will think 'new Alex Ferguson has arrived' if Sporting beat Man City
Ruben Amorim joked Manchester United fans will think he is the next Alex Ferguson if Sporting CP manage to beat Manchester City in the Champions League.
The head coach has agreed to join the Red Devils and will take charge from November 11 after signing a contract with the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Before then, he has two games left in charge of Sporting, starting with their Champions League match against Pep Guardiola's men on Tuesday.
Sporting have made a perfect start to the Primeira Liga, winning all 10 of their games, and have made an unbeaten start in Europe, but Amorim is prepared to come under more scrutiny while on the touchline against City.
"Winning tomorrow would be brilliant. Would I be a hero at Manchester United before I land? I don't think about that, my focus is on winning the game for Sporting," Amorim told a press conference.
"The inferences that people will draw from this game are not important to me because they can be misleading. If the result was very negative, expectations will be lowered, and I don't think that is a bad starting point when I start at United.
"If we win tomorrow, they will think that the new Alex Ferguson has arrived and that will be very difficult to maintain. What interests me is to win tomorrow, to have a farewell at Alvalade, then win in Braga and then start in Manchester.
"It can increase or decrease expectations. I don't know what is better. I want to leave the fans and the players happy and confident and qualify the team for the play-offs."
Sporting won their first European meeting with City in March 2012 in the Europa League, but are winless in their last three against them (D1 L2).
However, they are unbeaten in their first three Champions League games so far this season, and if they avoid defeat on Tuesday, they will equal their longest-ever unbeaten run in the competition (four between September 1982 and March 1983).
The 39-year-old boasts the best win ratio of any Sporting coach on record in the Primeira Liga, winning 120 of his 156 such games in charge (76.92%), but captain Morten Hjulmand said the team are ready to prove they do not need Amorim, who agreed with the sentiment.
"Yes, [Sporting is prepared for his departure]. You heard Hjulmand say that they no longer need the coach," he added.
"They are very mature; they understand the game very well. They are prepared, it won't make any difference in the end.
"There is a change, of course, but the team is prepared and has enough maturity to move forward."
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