Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the warm up before the English Premier League match against Newcastle at Old Trafford. Photo: AFP
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https://scmp.com/sport/football/article/3200193/manchester-united-are-suing-cristiano-ronaldo-and-have-told-him-not-return-after-world-cup-report Football
Manchester United are suing Cristiano Ronaldo and have told him not to return after World Cup: report
- Premier League club will reportedly seek legal action over comments Ronaldo made in a recent interview with Piers Morgan
- According to The Guardian, United have appointed lawyers to prosecute the superstar forward
Manchester United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag (right) watches as Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo is subbed on. Photo: AFP
Manchester United are to sue Cristiano Ronaldo over comments the star made in a recent interview with Piers Morgan, according to The Guardian, which reported on Friday that the club has appointed lawyers to prosecute the 37-year-old for an alleged breach of contract.
The Guardian also reported that Ronaldo has been instructed not to return to the club’s Carrington training base after the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar, where he will be representing Portugal.
During Ronaldo’s interview with Morgan, which aired on TalkTV over two days on Wednesday and Thursday, the forward made a number of allegations about United.
He told Morgan that he is being actively forced out of the club and that United lacked “empathy” when his young daughter was hospitalised in July.
Ronaldo also said that he doesn’t “have respect” for manager Erik ten Hag and that the club’s owners, the Glazer family, do not care about the club.
United were unaware that Ronaldo had conducted the interview with Morgan, according to The Guardian.
On Friday a club statement read: “Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent media interview. We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.”
Ronaldo is in his second spell at United after rejoining the club last summer, 12 years after he first left to join Real Madrid.
His first season back at Old Trafford was a reasonable success; he finished the season as the club’s top scorer with 24 goals and was named its Player of the Year.
However, this season has been anything but successful for the veteran forward. He has featured sporadically for United under Ten Hag, the Dutch coach who took over in the summer, and has twice left matches early, even refusing to play in one, after being named as a substitute.
Ronaldo’s most recent, and likely final appearance, for United came in a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa on November 6.