Cristiano Ronaldo has left Man Utd 'with immediate effect'
Published
| Last updated
Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo have reached an agreement to terminate his contract.
United took the 'first steps' to kicking Ronaldo out of the club last week after he gave an extraordinary interview to Piers Morgan.
The club have accelerated that process in the last week, confirming Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford is over in a statement.
It reads: "Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.
"The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.
Loading…
"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."
Ronaldo returned to United in 2021, 12 years after his initial departure for Real Madrid.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen as a statement signing to take United to their first Premier League title in nine years.
Despite a strong personal campaign, with 24 goals in all competitions, United struggled and finished sixth in the table with their lowest-ever points tally.
United acted and hired Erik ten Hag in the summer, who didn't believe Ronaldo could operate in his team.
The 37-year-old attempted to leave United in the summer after they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
No bids arrived, however, which forced him to remain at the club. Ronaldo scored three goals for United this season, with his last coming in a 3-0 victory over FC Sheriff in the Europa League.
In his interview with Morgan, Ronaldo accused ten Hag of a lack of respect. Tempers reached their boiling point during October's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur when Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute and stormed down the tunnel.
Ronaldo told Morgan: "I don’t have respect for him (Ten Hag) because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you."
In his last appearance for United, he captained the side in a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa.
The Portugal international missed United's final two games prior to the World Cup with illness.
He now turns his attention to the World Cup, with Portugal's Group H campaign set to kick off against Ghana on Thursday.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United
