Cristiano Ronaldo has damaged Man Utd legacy with transfer request
James Shearman
- Updated: 3 Jul 2022 07:36 CDT
- 3 min read
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has asked Manchester United to let him leave this summer if they receive an appropriate offer.
Ronaldo, 37, re-joined Man Utd from Juventus last summer but has already requested an exit from Old Trafford, according to The Times.
His agent, Jorge Mendes, recently met with new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and a transfer to the Blues was discussed, while Jose Mourinho's Roma and Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for the forward.
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Ronaldo, who has just one year left on his deal at Old Trafford, scored 18 league goals last season, but couldn't help Man Utd into the top four as they slumped to their worst points tally in the Premier League era.
Their sixth-place finish means they will be competing in the Europa League in Erik ten Hag's first campaign at the helm.
However, Ronaldo has made it clear that he wishes to leave the club to avoid Europe's secondary club competition.
The 37-year-old has never played in the Europa League, competing in the Champions League for 19 straight seasons since leaving Sporting CP in 2003.
And, it's reported that Ronaldo's decision to seek an Old Trafford exit revolves around his desire to continue that streak into a 20th season and beyond.
He believes he is still capable of performing at the highest level, which he displayed last season by notching six goals in seven Champions League games in the 2021/22 campaign.
The simple truth is that Ronaldo is right - he is capable of playing for a Champions League club. But at what cost to his Manchester United legacy?
Cristiano Ronaldo has damaged Man Utd legacy
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Manchester United great - something that will never change - but his legacy will take a hit if he leaves the club now.
The former Real Madrid man's return to Old Trafford was supposed to elevate the club into title contention, if not winning silverware.
Well, the complete opposite of that has taken place. Despite Ronaldo's impressive season from an individual point of view, the team have gotten significantly worse.
I bet if Cristiano Ronaldo joins PSG next season, he'd score 10 Ligue1 league goals before Lionel Messi who is currently on 6. pic.twitter.com/oglddYQkgE
— Preeti (@MadridPreeti) July 2, 2022
Not all of that is Ronaldo's fault, to be clear, but he is certainly one of the problems.
Yet, that's not even the real issue here. Given his age, and the state of the club, Ronaldo could almost get away with his second stint being an unsuccessful one.
Instead, what damages Ronaldo's legacy is that he wants to jump ship at a difficult time.
The man bought to save the club actually worsened them and then left for pastures new - that will be the unfortunate narrative surrounding the 37-year-old should he depart.
