Cristiano Ronaldo isn't helping himself in Man Utd transfer saga
Karan Tejwani
- 21 Oct 2022 22:35 BST
- 4 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest tantrum at Manchester United has seen him earn a suspension from first-team training and he will miss his side’s trip to Chelsea over the weekend.
Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute for his team in midweek against Tottenham and stormed down the tunnel before full-time, and then left Old Trafford altogether before the final whistle.
Over the summer, Ronaldo made it clear he wished to leave Manchester United, hoping to play at a club where he could play in the Champions League, but he ended up staying.
READ: Ten Hag's handling of Ronaldo crisis shows Man Utd finally have the right manager
However, his latest act could be a further blow for his hopes of a transfer and doesn’t bode well for him for the future if he is hoping to play at the highest level of European football.
Related articles
Ronaldo is a hard sell
Two of the reasons Ronaldo failed to secure a move in the summer was down to his age – he will be 38 in February – and his wage – he earns around £500,000-a-week.
For any club to match that will be difficult, and for a player who will arrive on a short deal with few years left in him, it is even more difficult to justify.
READ: Revealed: Cristiano Ronaldo’s enormous Man Utd fine
Factor in his poor tactical fit where he’s clearly not a great asset for a team that plays with a high-pressing, high-intensity system, and it becomes even more difficult to find him a top-level club.
With all that considered, he needs to accept a new-found role where he’s no longer the main man, and his antics against Tottenham in midweek didn’t exactly show that.
Cristiano Ronaldo's statement after being dropped for Man Utd's trip to Chelsea this weekend... 🔴📜 pic.twitter.com/5X8YHQp5Wg
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 21, 2022
It was the wrong thing to do – something he admitted on his own Instagram account – and he’s not making a future move easier for himself.
It’s not unlike Ronaldo to act this way when he wants a move: at Juventus, he reportedly became distant from his team-mates before moving late in the summer of 2021; in his first stint at Manchester United he pushed heavily for a Real Madrid transfer after winning the Champions League a few months prior.
For any club to take on an ageing player who is not the best tactical fit, make him one of their best-paid, and then possibly have to deal with such antics is a big risk, and an even bigger risk if results aren’t positive, as they weren’t last season for Manchester United.
Marseille were linked to Ronaldo in the summer and their President, Pablo Longoria, spoke about the possibility of signing him, to which he said: "We’re more focused on team players who put in individual performances which serve the team... We have a project where everyone needs to work for a collective." The same would be said at most clubs.
Ronaldo wants to leave, Erik ten Hag is seemingly willing to let him go, the Manchester United players are reportedly calmer without him, but the Portuguese star himself is not helping his case if he carries on with this behaviour.
