The explosive TV interview that Cristiano Ronaldo gave to Piers Morgan appears to have put an end to his Manchester United career.
The 37-year-old forward, who claimed he does not respect manager Erik ten Hag and feels “betrayed” by the club, finds it difficult to see a way back.
Now the question is whether Ronaldo can land a transfer in January after failing to sign with a team in the Champions League prior to the season’s start.
United was preparing for life without him before Sunday night’s parts from his interview started to circulate, but that process is likely to be sped up with his most recent public display of discontent.
He had already received a warning for leaving a preseason game early, and Ten Hag removed him from the team last month when he refused to replace him against Tottenham.
Ronaldo eventually expressed some remorse on social media and met with Ten Hag to clear the air before being welcomed back into the fold.
But the relationship between the Portugal World Cup forward and his manager may be over after these recent remarks.
Ronaldo said on the Piers Morgan Uncensored TV program, “I don’t have regard for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. “I’ll never have respect for you if you don’t have respect for me.”
Additionally, Ronaldo alleges that he is being tried for expulsion from the team.
Even though the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had expressed a wish to leave earlier in the year, it nevertheless happened.
Ten Hag was hesitant to let him go during preseason, in part due to the dearth of suitable alternatives in his squad or available on the market. And that issue still exists as of January, when United’s search for a new center striker will be made even more difficult by the customarily high costs associated with the midseason transfer window.
Ten Hag was willing to include Ronaldo in his plans for the duration of the season even after the incident against Tottenham because United’s recruitment team preferred to conduct their business towards the end of the season.
On Sunday night, there was a belief at United that Alejandro Garnacho’s late goal in the 2-1 win at Fulham would not be diminished by Cristiano Ronaldo’s deeds.
However, the contrary is also true, and during Ten Hag’s four months in charge, the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward’s off-field behavior has far too frequently been an unwelcome distraction.
The interview’s date also guarantees that it will follow the club during the Premier League’s break for the World Cup.
It only strengthens the perception that it was a planned and staged attempt to have the most impact that Morgan has failed to confirm when it was performed.
United stated on Monday that it would assess its actions after all the facts were known. Our attention is still on getting ready for the second half of the season and maintaining the spirit of camaraderie that is developing among the players, coach, staff, and supporters.
That assertion alone suggests that the club’s hierarchy was taken off guard.
The interview might be seen as a warning to would-be suitors, and Ronaldo will need to hope that more do so than in the preseason.
His reported salary of about £500,000 per week ($587,000) disqualifies most European clubs.
Ronaldo’s options for clubs will become even more limited if he continues to want to compete in the Champions League, which is now down to the final 16.
His inconsistent play this season, with just three goals in 18 games, is another issue.
A successful World Cup might increase interest in the seasoned striker.
The situation for United in terms of a successor is hardly any clearer than it was during the previous window.
Prior to signing a pre-contract with RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg attacker Benjamin Sesko was a strong candidate, and Darwin Nunez was another target before joining Liverpool.
The number of viable attackers was so limited that United even considered acquiring seasoned Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic, which infuriated the supporters.
Elite clubs are aware that there aren’t many young players with Erling Haaland’s profile, who plays for Manchester City.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona, who both bought forwards in their 30s as they searched for elite goal scorers earlier this year, served as evidence of that.
After selling 34-year-old Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, Bayern purchased 30-year-old Sadio Mane. Karim Benzema, 34, continues to direct Real Madrid’s attack in the meantime.
Ten Hag is working to assist Marcus Rashford in becoming a prolific scorer and hopes Anthony Martial can get past the fitness issues that have derailed his United career.
At the absolute least, he might have to rely on that duo through the end of the current campaign, with Ronaldo’s remarks undoubtedly portending a contentious departure from Old Trafford.
