Cristiano Ronaldo is said to want to leave Man Utd as soon as possible, after being publicly criticised by coach Erik ten Hag.
The British newspaper Daily Star confirmed that Ronaldo was very angry after learning that coach Erik ten Hag criticized a group of players for leaving early in a friendly match against Rayo Vallecano on July 31. Ronaldo started that match, then left the field after the first half and left before the match ended.
Responding to the Dutch media on August 3 about this, coach Ten Hag said: “I definitely will not ignore it. This is an unacceptable action. No one should do that. This is a football team and the players must stay until the end of the match.”
Ronaldo’s expression when talking with coach Ten Hag, in a friendly match with Rayo Vallecano. Photo: AP
In his first match under Ten Hag , Ronaldo was unhappy when he heard tactical advice from the Dutch coach during a half-time meeting. According to British media, most of the Man Utd players who left early were not registered because they had just played in the previous match against Atletico Madrid.
“Ronaldo wants to leave Man Utd more than ever,” the Daily Star quoted a source close to the 37-year-old superstar. Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes made it clear to Man Utd last month about his desire to leave. However, the Old Trafford team has repeatedly affirmed that the Portuguese star is not for sale.
Ten Hag is expected to bench Ronaldo for this weekend’s Premier League opener against Brighton. The Dutch coach believes Ronaldo is not in good shape after missing the summer tour.
Former Man Utd striker Louis Saha criticised Ronaldo for being selfish. He said: “Ronaldo is unrealistic when asking a big club to adapt to his personal desires. Ronaldo came to Juventus to win the Champions League but failed. Now he wants to find another place to satisfy his ambitions, after a bad year at Man Utd.”
Ronaldo still has one year left on his contract with Man Utd and is earning $466,000 a week. He only returned to Old Trafford last summer after leaving Juventus. Ronaldo left Man Utd 12 years ago to join Real. No major European club has officially negotiated with Man Utd about Ronaldo.
