RONALDO FACES DISCIPLINE BY UNITED
FURIOUS Manchester United executives are talking to lawyers over how to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo after his attack on the club and Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo said he had no respect for the manager and accused United of betraying him in a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old, who has joined the Portugal squad for the World Cup, also said United officials had been trying to force him out.
Highlights of the interview were released on Sunday evening, to the anger of senior figures at United, who were travelling back from the club’s Premier League victory away to Fulham when they found out about Ronaldo’s unauthorised interview.
Ten Hag, who suspended Ronaldo for one match for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur last month, is involved in talks with the cochairman Joel Glazer, the chief executive Richard Arnold and the football director John Murtough over how to discipline the player. They are taking legal advice from the club’s general counsel.
Morgan said the interview took place at Ronaldo’s request and its broadcast had been timed so that he would be away with Portugal. Rio Ferdinand, a close friend and former United teammate who has been a staunch defender of Ronaldo, said the interview was indefensible and designed to make the player’s future at Old Trafford untenable.
Sources say it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Ronaldo will play for the club again, although there is still the issue of which club will take him. He hopes to showcase his talent at the World Cup.
In a statement, the club said: “Manchester United notes the media coverage regarding an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo. The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established.
“Our focus remains on preparing for the second half of the season.”
The Times