Man Utd has opens free transfer gate for Cristiano Ronaldo after he walked out early in Tottenham clash
The possibilities for a happy conclusion to a tale that had so much promise are diminishing for Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The huge revamp last summer included the returning hero, with Ronaldo leading a United initiative that had been in the works for several years.
The sleeping giant finally had a team that could contend for the title after bringing in other long-term transfer targets, and Ronaldo was set to top out his spectacular career on the highest note by returning to the team that helped put a skinny adolescent from Madeira on the map.
After 18 months, it is safe to say that things haven’t gone as expected. In fact, one of the greatest players in history has forced his club to consider the unthinkable – releasing him early from his contract – after his latest outburst when he left a brilliant United performance against Tottenham early, heading down the tunnel and out of the stadium before the final whistle.
An exit strategy is being thought about, according to club sources, and if super-agent Jorge Mendes is unable to find a suitor, United may be willing to cut their losses and let him go free in January.
Additionally, the team revealed that Ronaldo won’t be playing against Chelsea on Saturday. I believe Erik ten Hag took the choice as a form of immediate punishment, and the club completely supports him.
Ronaldo is currently pouting, and no decision has been taken regarding what to do with him long-term because the relationship’s nadir occurred on Wednesday. But that the club could even be willing to let him go and absorb such a significant loss tells you everything you need to know about where the story is at.
Since the summer, when it became evident that Erik ten Hag would be willing to sit the top player, Mendes has been hunting for a new team for his star client.
Most of the clubs Ronaldo would be prepared to spend his last years with have been turned off by his high pay and ego.
I believe that a number of well-known clubs have stayed away due to concerns about his behavior over the last 12 months. Ronaldo made such a scene when Ralf Rangnick replaced him in the previous campaign that the interim manager was afraid to try it again.
This season, the toys have scattered all over the place a few times, but Ten Hag has always been quite clear about where he stands, and for that, he deserves a lot of praise. Dealing with a player’s ego like Ronaldo and everything that goes along with it is difficult, especially for a coach just getting started at one of the biggest clubs in the world. These things include the army of former teammates clamoring for him to play more, the global fan base, and the constant media attention.
The Dutchman hasn’t just stayed true to his principles and started Ronaldo in just two Premier League games this season; he has also refused to duck questions about the criteria used to make such difficult choices.
After the incident on Wednesday, he declared, “I don’t pay attention today, we will deal with that tomorrow,” obviously irate that the spotlight was diverted from such a brilliant United performance. “I want to concentrate on this group of 11 players, this team.
“You need strong pressing and strong counterpressing against Tottenham. Therefore, you need players who can press. You need that dynamic on offense. Marcus [Rashford] contributes that.
He has moved quickly this time around as well. Ten Hag was quite willing to use Ronaldo as his primary striker for the upcoming campaign. It is believed that he wanted the seasoned striker to serve as an Eric Cantona-like role model for the younger players.
Due to the nearly unworkable nature of the player-manager connection, this way of thinking has significantly changed.
Although January seems like a long way off, some club members believe the time cannot come soon enough. Overall, Ronaldo’s return has been more detrimental than beneficial.
While he did score goals last season, Ten Hag is increasingly aware that his lack of teamwork was detrimental to the cause.
Even United’s financial elite will be beginning to lose interest. No playing time significantly reduces his marketability.
Thus, it appears that the end is near. A joyful conclusion is almost never possible. Which clubs Ronaldo would consider suitable could afford his pay, even if he moved for free.