Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to become Man Utd manager 'within 18 months'

Cristiano Ronaldo has been tipped to become Manchester United 's next manager 'within 18 months' by ex- Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood.

The 36-year-old has made a storming comeback to Old Trafford by scoring four goals in his first three games back with the Red Devils but Sherwood believes Ronaldo could soon be making his impact from the dugout.

Pressure is mounting on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after United crashed out of the League Cup in the third round to West Ham, an opportunity of a trophy squandered.

Having not lifted silverware during his tenure, Solskjaer is under more scrutiny then ever following the re-signing of Ronaldo, which came after Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane arrived for more than a combined £100 million.

Sherwood thinks Ronaldo could replace Solskjaer as Man Utd manager ( Image:

PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Ronaldo has already shown glimpses of a desire to asset himself on the touchline, whether it be in the Euro 2016 final when he came off injured but stood by Fernando Santos, or when he stood next to his new boss at club level during their shock Champions League defeat to Young Boys last week.

"I can see Ronaldo as Manchester United manager within 18 months," Sherwood told Ladbrokes a t its launch of the 5-A-Side bet on Arsenal vs Tottenham.

"I think it's okay that Ronaldo's on the touchline and Ole's going to have to accept it. If he brings him to his football club you've got to know what you're bringing in.

Ronaldo has experience on the touchline ( Image:

Alex Livesey)

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"It's a completely different Ronaldo to the one who was at Old Trafford the first time around. He knows how he's needed and if he feels like he needs to stand next to the manager and give instructions then you've got to let him do that," the former Blackburn Rovers star noted.

Sherwood, however, hinted that a manager of a higher prestige - such as his predecessor- would not allow the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to be so prominent in the dugout while not playing.

"I'm not sure he'd be doing that with Jose Mourinho mind you, it would be very different with him still in charge," the 52-year-old said. "But you'd also have to ask Ronaldo why he feels it's necessary to stand up and give some instruction in the first place.

"We've seen him do it on the international stage, most recently at the Euros, barking out orders. That boy will be a manager 100%. I would have a bet on him being Manchester United manager in 18 months."

Sherwood elaborated: "Whenever Ronaldo finishes playing I think he will become a manager, it will be an automatic choice.

"If they win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, any of those trophies, then Solskjaer keeps his job, but if they don't win anything I think they've got a manager there in the making.

"He could bring an experienced coach in there with him - someone like Carlos Queiroz [former assistant at United]- as he'll know plenty of them, and I can see him being a manager at Man United in the future," he reiterated.

"He's almost coaching now; you saw it at the weekend during the warm-up whispering in [Raphael] Varane's and [Harry] Maguire's ears, but I don't think it's that he needs the captain's armband to be a leader, he leads by example anyway.

"He did when he was at United the first time it's just now he's being more vocal with it."