Why Man Utd could face £10m Ronaldo bill in January

Robin Bairner

• 24 Oct 2022 13:56 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United face giving Cristiano Ronaldo a heft compensation package if they choose to release the player before his contract expires in June 2023, according to a report.

Ronaldo is presently out of favour at Old Trafford after marching down the tunnel before the end of a Premier League match against Tottenham having refused to come on as a substitute.

He was publicly criticised by the club for his actions and was left out of the subsequent fixture against Chelsea.

Revealed: Man Utd’s plan if Ronaldo leaves in January

Now his situation at Man Utd is tense. Showdown talks have been scheduled with manager Erik ten Hag but there is no guarantee that he will be welcomed back into the first-team fold unless the manager feels there is genuine contrition on the part of the player.

Crucially, if Ronaldo is to play a role at Old Trafford in the second half of the season, that may depend upon him accepting his status as a backup option – something he appears unwilling to do.

United’s list of options in that case is slim. They are reportedly willing to give him away for nothing if he mutually agrees to terminate his contract, but the situation becomes trickier if there are no January suitors.

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo transfer news LIVE

Ronaldo to face contract termination?

One option that has been discussed is that his contract is simply terminated, which is not something that Ten Hag wants.

According to The Sun, it would cost Man Utd €10 million to cut ties with the player if this situation were to arise. In essence, they would be paying the player the full total of his wages for the last six months of his deal just to leave the club, a situation that would be embarrassing and unwelcome for all involved.

Ronaldo, then, is only likely to leave Man Utd in January if there is a concrete offer on the table.