The 37-year-old forward’s club future has been a prominent talking point all summer and this latest twist will only increase speculation that Ronaldo will leave United this window
Erik ten Hag laid down the law to wantaway Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo by axing him from the side in front of his team-mates during a team meeting.
According to The Sun, the new Red Devils boss is reported to have gathered his side together last week before their impressive 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford and urged the players to speak their minds without any concern for the potential consequences.
It was during this meeting that the United boss informed both Ronaldo and club captain Harry Maguire that they would both be omitted from the starting eleven against Jurgen Klopp’s side. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is thought to have remained silent throughout the chat, while other players are believed to have had their say.
United’s boss is reportedly growing tired of the constant media circus that follows Ronaldo and feels it is a threat to the wider fortunes of the side.
Ten Hag’s patience was already wearing thin, but Ronaldo’s recent promise that he would release a tell-all interview discussing the relentless speculation surrounding his own future is rumoured to have been a step too far in the eyes of his manager.
After the 37-year-old forward made clear to the club’s hierarchy he wanted out, Ten Hag publicly explained how United’s stance on the matter had not changed and Ronaldo was not for sale, but that opinion may slowly be shifting among some of the Red Devils’ most important figures.
Ten Hag has U-turned and is now one of the aforementioned characters who wants Ronaldo out of the club sooner rather than later so that he can fully focus on the required rebuild without constant questioning on his ageing striker.
