Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo’s professionalism and insists the arrival of the Portuguese superstar has had a positive effect on the overall mentality in the dressing room.
The 36-year-old sealed a return to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day in the summer transfer window after leaving Juventus.
It had been 12 years since Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in a world-record £80million switch before he returned to a deafening reception against Newcastle United on his debut.
There were fears that Ronaldo’s attributes may not be as strong as they once were, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner scoring an incredible 450 goals during his time at Real.
But the forward has shown no signs of slowing down, firing five goals in his first seven appearances for the Red Devils.
And Shaw has lifted the lid on what it is like sharing a dressing room with Ronaldo, with the left-back gaining some insight into his longevity as a footballer.
“You know the star he is, what he has been doing over a number of years,” Shaw told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It is just unbelievable to be in a dressing room with him.
“You see the way he conducts himself, how professional he is. It’s clear to me why he has been at the top for so many years.
“His mentality is second to none. I think he has really improved that in and around the changing room.”
Man United have endured a mixed start to the season, currently sitting in fourth in the Premier League with 14 points from their opening seven matches.
Where will Manchester United finish in the Premier League this season? Comment below.
But there are concerns over recent performances from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side following defeats to West Ham in the Carabao Cup and Young Boys in their Champions League group stage opener.
It was Ronaldo who saved his manager’s blushes with a last-minute winner against Villarreal in the Champions League.
But the veteran star was visibly unhappy with their recent 1-1 draw against Everton, having been left on the bench, and stormed down the tunnel on his own.
Solskjaer has come under pressure to keep Ronaldo happy after the incident, but the Norwegian has hinted he is prepared to leave Ronaldo out of the starting lineup to help manage his fitness.
Former United defender Gary Neville, now a pundit for Sky Sports, believes the situation needs to be handled one way or another.
”I watched him walk off and I can’t say I like it,” he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
“Actions like that - and Cristiano is smart enough to know this - will bring real pressure on the manager, more pressure than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already under.
“I think that is something that just has to be managed in the next couple of months.
"Cristiano is not always going to score, he’s maybe not going to play every single game.
“But I think if he walks off like that, it’s going to put immense pressure on Solskjaer. There’s no doubt the talk after the game was about the manager.”
