A large proportion of the Man Utd squad were reportedly rejoicing when they heard the news that Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave the club this summer.
The Portugal international made it clear to the Red Devils hierarchy that he wanted a transfer away from Old Trafford in order to pursue Champions League football.
Man Utd can only offer the Europa League this season after a disastrous season last term saw them finish sixth, 13 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who claimed the final Champions League spot.
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Ronaldo felt like he held up his end of the bargain last season with 24 goals in 38 matches in all competitions but the Portuguese attacker is not happy about spending his first campaign without Champions League football.
Man Utd initially took the hardline stance that he wasn’t for sale but Erik ten Hag decided he was happy to let Ronaldo go following their embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Brentford in their second game of the season.
And now sources have told ESPN ‘over a period of months that he has become a divisive figure within the squad’ and Ronaldo ‘has been unable to accept that the United side he rejoined was a world apart from the one he left, both in terms of the calibre of the squad and the personalities within it.’
ESPN added:
‘In short, he expects the likes of Harry Maguire and Rashford to perform like Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney and makes no allowances for their obvious shortcomings. When Ronaldo’s desire to leave United became public in July, a source told ESPN that the news was greeted with joy by the majority of his teammates and that Ronaldo had become a “pain in the ar*e.”‘
And former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand claims Ronaldo will be “absolutely fuming” not to be starting games after he was left on the bench in United’s 1-0 win over Southampton.
Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel: “Whether he stays or not, none of us know. But knowing Cristiano [Ronaldo], I know for a fact that he will be absolutely fuming right now.
“Forget who’s starting in front of him, [that] he’s not starting. You don’t get to do what he’s done in his career over this amazing amount of time at the levels he’s been playing by being someone who’s going to accept not starting and being a sub for a team that isn’t in the Champions League.”
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