Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United Return Date Still Unknown With Premier League Start In 2 Weeks

Manchester United returned from their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia on Sunday and the Cristiano Ronaldo fiasco is still ongoing.

The 37-year-old asked to leave the club before being absent from United's touring squad due to 'personal reasons'.

Erik ten Hag has been peppered by the media since then about the situation of the striker, with his blunt answers giving off one clear message: He isn't for sale.

"He's not with us and it's due to personal issues," he told media towards the beginning of the tour.

"We are planning with Cristiano Ronaldo this season and that's it. I look forward to working with him.

"Cristiano is not for sale, he's in our plans and we want success together."

However, he has admitted that he has not yet spoke with the Portuguese striker since the reports of his desired departure emerged.

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Now, with the squad back in Manchester, the club are still 'in the dark' regarding what the striker will do going forward.

The latest report from Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail has said that United do not know when, or if, Ronaldo will return to the club.

Additionally, it mentions that the Reds accepted the striker's reasoning for his absence from the squad and have been careful not to put any pressure on him.

But, there is a growing feeling at the club that something will have to 'give over' in the next couple of weeks ahead of the Premier League opener against Brighton.

Ronaldo is said to want Champions League football, and that is not an option at Old Trafford after a sixth-placed finish last term.

Atletico Madrid has emerged as a possible option for the forward after Chelsea and Bayern Munich distanced themselves from a possible deal.

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The Spanish club have reportedly put Antoine Griezmann on the transfer market as they look to create space on their transfer bill for the addition of Ronaldo.

Also, the player has been receptive to the idea of returning to the city that he originally left the Theatre of Dreams for in 2009, but that time it was to the white side of the Spanish capital.

Diego Simeone's eagerness to work with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is another aspect that has impressed Ronaldo of the prospect of the move.

While United could be losing their striker, they will be adding Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen to their squad.

The latest signings are likely to start training with Ten Hag's men soon. A club source told UtdDistrict that the pair could be at Carrington with the team on Tuesday to start training if the registration process is completed in time.

United's curtain raiser against Graham Potter's side is now in less than two weeks, and Ten Hag will want to know the ins and outs of his squad by the time that time comes.