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Cristiano Ronaldo has been told he is "nothing more than a PR tool" for Manchester United in a brutal assessment made by former player Paul Parker.
Ronaldo was banished from the first-team for United's last Premier League outing, a 1-1 raw with Chelsea, after he refused to come off the bench in the 2-0 win over Spurs.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner went down the tunnel and left Old Trafford before the game had even finished and was punished by being left out of the matchday squad at Stamford Bridge.
He was back in the starting XI on Thursday, scoring in the 3-0 Europa League win over Sheriff Tiraspol.
But Parker, who played over 100 times for United, believes "the PR machine is broken" in regards to Ronaldo and has urged all parties to cut ties.
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“The best solution is to get rid of Cristiano Ronaldo," Parker told Bonus Code Bets.
"It would be the best solution for him, his teammates, his manager and for the club.
“I was hoping for a long time, that he would finally realise that everything is not about himself but about the club and the younger players as well.”
“Now he is nothing more than a PR tool which isn´t working. The club brought him in because of the fact that he would make money for the PR machine, but now the PR machine is broken.
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“The real fans will not buy his shirt, because they are seeing him as a huge problem for the club.”
Ronaldo has made United a lot of money since sealing a return last year but he wanted out in the summer and handed in a transfer request.
No move happened though and he has been forced to remain at United, who he has scored three times for in all competitions in a bit-part role this term.
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Ronaldo moved on from the situation by getting on the scoresheet against Sheriff, notching the third goal after enduring a frustrating evening in front of goal.
He performed his new celebration, which now appears to have replaced his trademark 'SIU'.
Locking his fingers together with his eyes closed, Ronaldo did the same celebration against Everton after scoring his 700th career goal.
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, Premier League, Europa League, Erik Ten Hag
Josh Lawless