It is not a secret that superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been trying to leave Manchester United since the summer. But it turns out the Premier League club is just as desperate to see him leave Old Trafford.
According to a recent ESPN report, which cites sources close to the club, Man Utd is willing to let Ronaldo leave on a free transfer. And it appears this has been their stance for a while now.
While the club brass and new head coach Erik Ten Hag repeatedly said they want Ronaldo to stay, the behind-the-scenes events reportedly indicated otherwise. Still, despite both sides wanting to split, the 37-year-old player remained pat as there was a lack of interest in his services elsewhere. One of the reasons might be Ronaldo’s £500,000-a-week contract, while another could be his poor performances this season.
Despite being the club’s best scorer last season, Ronaldo hasn’t had much success in finding the net in 2022-23 and only has two goals. This wasn’t entirely his fault, as Ten Hag preferred to use him off the bench and has rarely given him a chance to start since taking over.
Manchester United is now hoping that Ronaldo can regain his form with Portugal’s national team during the World Cup 2022 and inspire interest in his services in January. The club would also be willing to accept a loan offer.
