Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United with immediate effect in the wake of his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
i reported last month that United were considering terminating Ronaldo’s contract by mutual consent after he stormed down the tunnel towards the end of the victory over Tottenham, and that is now precisely the action they have taken, bringing an end to a turbulent 18 months since he re-signed from Juventus.
“The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future,” the club said in a statement.
“Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”
Speaking to Morgan on Talk TV, Ronaldo made a number of extraordinary attacks on the club, insisting he had “no respect” for manager Ten Hag, and accusing the Glazers of overseeing “zero progress” since the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.
The 37-year-old, who has scored just one Premier League goal this season, also took aim at former team-mates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville and described United as a “marketing club”.
Ronaldo is currently away with Portugal on World Cup duty, but he now finds himself without a club ahead of the January transfer window. Earlier this week, he asked reporters to stop asking his Portugal team-mates to discuss his future, but it was clear from the seemingly frosty reception he received from Bruno Fernandes after arriving in Qatar that this was not a feud where club and country could be separated.
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United colleagues were reportedly left furious at the timing of Ronaldo’s public outburst. The club initially said they would “consider their response after the full facts have been established”.
Yet their hand was strengthened by an upturn in results without the ageing superstar. Prior to the World Cup break, United had lost just once in their last 12 games.
Ronaldo’s own position is more doubtful. He has got what he wanted from the interview, but finding a new home may not be easy. A number of potential suitors have been put off by his behaviour since returning to Old Trafford. MLS seems one of the most likely options for his next destination, especially now that US clubs have more financial muscle thanks to Apple’s investment in a $250m (£210m) TV deal. If he is to stay in Europe, his first club Sporting are the bookmakers’ favourites to sign him.
Wherever he goes next, departing Carrington had become inevitable. On paper, the Morgan interview was the point of no return, but his relationship with Ten Hag had already broken down beyond repair.
That was entirely Ronaldo’s doing. He was never a Ten Hag signing – the Dutchman has favoured young, progressive options in the mould of his former Ajax team – but he was willing to utilise him in a cameo role, even once it became evident the ageing Ronaldo was incompatible with United’s wider approach.
It was a fall from grace the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could not accept and tensions have been brewing since the summer. In pre-season, when he was substituted at half-time against Rayo Vallecano, he left the stadium before the game had even finished.
The biggest positive Ten Hag can take from the saga it is that he has been allowed to assert his authority in a way his predecessor, the club’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick – who also clashed with Ronaldo but was more reliant on him in a season when he finished as United’s top scorer – was not.
Ronaldo’s interview had made his contract untenable – and that was the whole point.
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