Manchester United 'to take legal advice' before replying to incendiary Cristiano Ronaldo claims
14 November 2022, 15:28
Manchester United will take legal advice before responding to claims made by star forward Cristiano Ronaldo that he has been "betrayed" by the club, according to reports.
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The club said that they would wait until "after the full facts have been established" following Ronaldo's comments in an interview on Monday.
United are now considering their legal position, Sky Sports News reported, with pundit and former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher arguing that Ronaldo "wants to be sacked".
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Manager Erik Ten Hag and players are understood to be extremely disappointed with their teammate's comments, which come on the back of a below-par start to the season for the forward.
It is very unlikely that Ronaldo will play again for Manchester United and he may leave in January - possibly to his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon.
The club said in a statement on Monday afternoon: "Manchester United notes the media coverage regarding an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo.
"The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established.
"Our focus remains on preparing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and togetherness being built among the players, manager, staff, and fans."
Ronaldo said that head coach Erik ten Hag and others want him out of Old Trafford during an interview.
When asked if United's hierarchy were trying to force him out of the club, Ronaldo said: "Yes, not only the coach, but another two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed."
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Ronaldo also said he did not respect Ten Hag, adding: "I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me. If you don't have respect for me, I'm never gonna have respect for you."
Ronaldo, who is one of the best forwards of his generation and has a global social media profile, is in his second spell at the club.
He has scored 145 goals for the club in total, in 346 appearances across his two stints in Manchester - but just three this season, having spent a lot of time on the substitutes' bench.
Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United in the summer but the club were unable to find a buyer.
Carragher told Sky Sports News that it was "obvious" that Ronaldo was trying to engineer his own dismissal with his comments.
"He told the club in the summer he wanted to leave so I'm not sure where this disrespect comes from Erik ten Hag, I just don't get this at all. I think he's disrespecting Man United and Erik ten Hag.
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"He wanted to leave in the summer, which is football, these things happen, There were no takers, because maybe of his wages, maybe at a price Manchester United wanted, and I think he knows that's going to be the same in this next transfer window or maybe the following summer.
"I think he's now basically trying to be sacked or allowed to leave on a free by the club because that's the only way he's going to get out."
