MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM manager Ralf Rangnick has ruled out the possibility of losing Edinson Cavani this month.
The Uruguayan has scored 19 goals in 49 appearances for the Red Devils since joining on a free transfer in October 2020.
However, the 34-year-old’s time in England has also been beset by injury problems and a controversial ban last season for using what the English Football Association deemed racist language in a social media post.
Cavani, whose contract expires at the end of the season, has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but Rangnick highlighted his importance despite having a wealth of attacking options to choose from.
“We spoke about Edi and he knows that I will definitely not let him go,” said Rangnick ahead of United’s Premier League clash with Wolves on Monday.
“For me, he is a highly important player for the rest of the season, still playing in three competitions, so we will definitely need Edi.
“I would rather have another Edi on top of that but for me it’s clear that Edi has to stay.”
Cavani started for the first time under Rangnick in Thursday’s 3-1 win over Burnley.
And the German believes he and Cristiano Ronaldo can form a potent partnership despite having a combined age of 70.
“He is probably the only one who can play as a striker back to goal and face to goal,” added Rangnick on Cavani.
“His professionalism, his work ethic is just amazing and I told him that I desperately want him to stay until the end of the season. He knows that.
“He also knows how highly I rate him and how highly I respect him, and that was also the reason why I played him (against Burnley) from the beginning together with Cristiano.”
Anthony Martial is one of United’s forward options who looks set to leave in January with Sevilla reportedly close to agreeing a loan deal for the French international.
Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Donny van de Beek could also move on in search of more first-team action.
But having just got over a coronavirus outbreak among the United squad, Rangnick said he may have to retain a larger pool of players for the second half of the season due to Covid considerations.
“Our squad is maybe a little bit too big with regards to numbers,” said Rangnick.
“But we still have Covid, we have three competitions, as I said, and I think we could do with a bigger squad than maybe in times without Covid.”
I’ve held tongue for so long on this team this season and I’ve forgiven so many injuries and woeful individual performances, but today was just unacceptable…
Sure, a lucky start for Bochum which was balanced by two soft penalties for Dortmund, but this is a derby. Already held us to a 1-1 earlier in the year, and they were basically safe prior to kick-off. Yet, somehow players like Akanji (god help whoever he goes to, probably Man Utd), Zagadou, Witsel and even backup Hitz in goal are just appalling. Fight our way back into it for 70mins only to fall asleep (bar Jude, Reus, Haaland, Wolf, and Gittens). I know we had multiple injuries again today, and the season is over, but for the love of God fight for the one home Derby we’ve had all year.
Summer Rebuild can’t come quick enough.
Dortmund seem to be in holiday mode , this attitude should never be accepted in the professional game , it’s cheating a living and must be devastating for the cash paying fans .
@Tricksy: they have been in holiday mode for a few years now .. absolute disgrace
@Tricksy: Don’t tell the Borussia Bears from govan that