The Manchester United squad and manager do not want Cristiano Ronaldo at the club, according to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
Erik ten Hag took charge of United at the end of last season, and unsurprisingly, he has endured a difficult first summer at the club.
In a ‘brutal’ and ‘disastrous new twist’, Ronaldo is on the BENCH after 45 minutes of football
He has been pushing for the signing of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, and after weeks of negotiations, had a bid accepted by the La Liga side.
However, the Netherlands international is not keen on the switch, with Chelsea now emerging as a potential destination.
On top of the De Jong saga, Ten Hag has had to deal with a transfer request from the Red Devils’ top scorer last season, Ronaldo.
The Portuguese striker returned for pre-season duty late due to ‘family reasons’ and made his first appearance in pre-season on Sunday, playing 45 minutes of the club’s draw against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford.
Interest in the 37-year-old is low. Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are two of many sides linked with the player, but a move to either club appears to be off the cards as things stand.
Amidst all of the drama at Old Trafford, Liverpool legend Carragher has said that he thinks Ronaldo’s teammates and Ten Hag do not want him at the club ahead of the new season.
“I always thought he was a bizarre signing. I always felt this situation would come, even if Ronaldo did great,” Carragher said on the latest episode of The Overlap (quotes via the Mirror).
“He signed a two-year deal plus another year, which I couldn’t believe, and he’s never going to play second fiddle to anyone but as players, at a certain stage in your career we all know that you’re not the same player, and his career has gone on longer because he’s such a great professional.
“But the fact he’s now 37, 38 this season, he’s not the same player. He’s still a great goal scorer but he’s not the same player.
“No other club in Europe at this moment wants him, I might be wrong. But it doesn’t look like United can get him out, so at the moment other club don’t want him.
“I think if you asked Ten Hag, I don’t think he wants him. And I’m not quite sure the dressing room at Manchester United would want Cristiano Ronaldo right now.”
