- Portuguese superstar not happy
- Has criticised those at Old Trafford
- Appears destined to move on in 2023
WHAT HAPPENED? In a sensational interview that appears set to bring a second spell at Old Trafford to a close for the Portuguese superstar, the 37-year-old has pulled no punches when taking aim at the likes of Erik ten Hag, Wayne Rooney and the Red Devils board. German coach Rangnick is another to have fallen in Ronaldo’s cross hairs, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner unable to explain why the former RB Leipzig boss was appointed as successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
WHAT THEY SAID: Ronaldo has told The Sun: “If you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I’d never even heard of him.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Rangnick was unable to deliver a top-four finish and Champions League qualification, with Ten Hag picking up the reins over the summer. Another rebuilding project is now in progress, with Ronaldo claiming that United have stood still since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
He added: “The progress was zero. Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed. He [Ferguson] knows better than anybody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be. He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that… it’s because they don’t want to see. They are blind. I think the fans should know the truth. I want the best for the club. This is why I come to Manchester United. But you have some things inside that don’t help (us) reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal. A club with this dimension should be top of the tree in my opinion and they are not unfortunately.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Getty Images
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? After a summer dominated by speculation regarding his future, Ronaldo has continued to make headlines for the amount of time he has spent on the bench at United this season. He also refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham and a January departure from Old Trafford now appears inevitable.