Rio Ferdinand feels there is no way back for Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand feels there is no way back for Cristiano Ronaldo at the club after his interview with Piers Morgan. The ex-Red Devil is of the opinion that the Portugal international cannot be defended.
The 37-year-old gave a scathing review of the Old Trafford side. He claimed to be ‘betrayed’ by the club. And the five-time Ballon d’Or winner also took aim at Erik ten Hag, stating that he did not respect the gaffer.
Speaking on the Vibe with Five YouTube channel (h/t Metro), Ferdinand, a teammate of Ronaldo during the forward’s first stint in Manchester, believes the Portuguese star has burnt his bridges at United.
“You can’t sit here and defend that from Cristiano Ronaldo. Deep down, I know for a fact, this has all been manufactured for one thing, and that’s for him to leave the club. This love affair between Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United is now over.”
“I don’t think there’s any way back. I don’t think the club will take him back and I don’t think he wants to come back, I think that’s the given.”
The 37-year-old has been on the periphery in the campaign under Ten Hag. He missed most of the pre-season that the Dutch manager took charge of.
Since then, Ronaldo has found it difficult to get into the gaffer’s plans. He started against Brentford in the second game of the season in the 4-0 loss. However, the former Ajax head coach made some big changes to the team after that.
The 37-year-old was on the bench in the Premier League for five matches. He did get opportunities in the Europa League. Unfortunately, the forward looked off the pace.
Then against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, the Portuguese icon refused to come on as a substitute and proceeded to walk down the tunnel before the final whistle. Consequently, he was suspended for the Chelsea game.
However, since then, Ten Hag has seemingly extended the olive branch to Ronaldo. The 37-year-old has been given a run of games in recent weeks. And he was also handed the captain’s armband in the fixture against Aston Villa in the league.
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However, the Portuguese has cut a frustrating figure throughout the season and has looked underwhelming. He has brought unwanted attention to the club at a time when things have looked promising. The inappropriate interview should signal the forward’s final moments with United.
