Cristiano Ronaldo is No Longer a Manchester United Player

Cristiano Ronaldo with Juventus in 2019
Cristiano Ronaldo with Juventus in 2019. Photo by Paul Currie/BPI/REX/Shutterstock (10152259da)

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United decided to go their separate ways. The shocking news was confirmed on Tuesday by the Premier League club on social media.

According to Man United, the two sides have agreed to “mutually terminate” Ronaldo’s contract. The 37-year-old player was previously under until the end of the 2022-23 season with a club option for one more season.

“The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future,” said Manchester United in a statement. “Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”

This unexpected development follows Ronaldo’s blockbuster interview with Piers Morgan in which he openly spoke about his dissatisfaction with his status at the club. Among other things, he said that Man United didn’t make any progress since his first spell at the club while adding that he doesn’t respect current manager Erik Ten Hag.

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester in the summer of 2021 with the hopes of replicating some of the success he had during his first spell. He managed to put together a solid season in 2021/22, which saw him score 24 goals, but the club’s performances were far from satisfying, and they missed out on the Champions League.

Since ten Hag arrived at the club, Ronaldo has been sparsely used and only started four Premier League matches. It has been believed that he will make a push to exit the club in the January transfer window, but Manchester beat him to it, and he will now be free to choose his next destination.  

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