Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving the team with immediate effect, the club said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese player rose to fame at the north English club, where he won his first Champions League and Ballon D’Or before moving to Real Madrid and then Juventus. He then returned to Manchester United last year.
He recently expressed wanting to transfer from Manchester United after this season saw him being reduced to a fringe member of the team.
‘Mutual agreement’
“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect. 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,” Manchester United said in a statement.
“Everyone at United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under [manager Eric] ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”
Ronaldo said he and the team “mutually agreed to end our contract early.”
“I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge,” he said.”
Ronaldo-United tensions
Although Tuesday’s statements did not convey United’s dismay, Ronaldo recently drawn criticism over explosive remarks he had made in a televised interview.
In the interview with Piers Morgan earlier this month, Ronaldo said he did not respect United’s manager Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo was also scathing about the club’s US owners, the Glazer family, and said they cared more about making money off of the club than the results on the pitch.
The 37-year-old said he felt “betrayed” by the club, and turned on his former teammates Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney, whom he said were not his “friends” after the pair recently criticized him.
Ten Hag said last month that Ronaldo had refused to come on as a substitute against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Ronaldo then walked down the tunnel after being put on the bench with a few minutes of the game remaining.
fb/jcg (AFP, Reuters)
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