Ronaldo misses out on £16m as he leaves United
SUPERSTAR striker Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United yesterday in the wake of his bombshell TV interview where he attacked the club.
The Portuguese ace, 37, who is currently at the World Cup in Qatar, had insisted he felt ‘betrayed’ by Old Trafford chiefs when he spoke to TalkTV’s Piers Morgan last week.
The club announced his departure yesterday and Sportsmail today reveals he has walked away from a £16million fortune. He had been set to earn his £500,000-a-week contract until June 2023 but is now leaving with no compensation.
The Premier League club said in a statement: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement with immediate effect. 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.
‘Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under [manager] Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.’
Ronaldo, who has been hailed as one of the best footballers of all time, released his own statement, saying: ‘I love Manchester United and I love the fans – that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge.
‘I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future.’ In the TalkTV interview, he alleged he was being forced out of United, claiming the club showed a lack of empathy when his sevenmonth-old daughter fell ill in July.
He also claimed the club’s American owners the Glazer family did not care about United. The five-time World Player of the Year said he did not respect Dutch boss Ten Hag.
The star, whose girlfriend is Argentine-born model Georgina Rodriguez, also took aim at ex-United heroes, including Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville. The club had explored the possibility of ending his contract early after bosses believed he broke the terms of his employment with his strong criticism.
Former Real Madrid and Juventus legend Ronaldo is now a free agent and can look for a new club following the World Cup.
‘Right time to seek new challenge’