Manchester United announced the club would “initiate the appropriate steps” to respond to a recent Piers Morgan interview with Premier League forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent media interview,” the club said in a Thursday-evening release. “We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.”
Cristiano Ronaldo scored one goal over four starts this season in his second time representing the club in his decades-long career.
The future of the Premier League star's involvement with the club was brought into question after he slammed his club in a two-part interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan last Thursday. Ronaldo criticized manager Erik ten Hag's decision to place him as a substitute in a match against Tottenham, cutting him from the main squad and forcing him to train away from the team when he refused to follow through.
“I think (Erik ten Hag) don’t respect (me) the way I should deserve,” Cristiano Ronaldo said. “But it is what it is. That is probably why I left the game against Tottenham.
“This is why I say I don’t have respect for him, because he don’t show respect for me.”
Former Premier League back Gary Neville said he expected the club to terminate his contract after Ronaldo's comments within the next few days to avoid further criticism in the future.
“(Cristiano Ronaldo) wouldn’t have done this interview if he wanted a way back,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports. “He knew it would bring the headlines it has and be the end of his Manchester United career.
“I’m wondering what Manchester United are doing. The reality of it is they know they have to terminate Cristiano’s contract or they basically open up a precedent so any player can criticize them in the future.”
The 37-year-old forward is just days away from representing Portugal on the world's biggest stage when the team kicks off against Ghana in the 2022 World Cup at 10 a.m. CST next Thursday. The game will be broadcasted on Fox.
Follow Us
Subscribe