Manchester United have announced the immediate departure of Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo by mutual consent.

Ronaldo ends his second spell at Old Trafford with over six months left on his contract, as the club respond to his shocking television interview aired earlier this month.

United statement:

“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.”

Ronaldo was United’s top goalscorer last season, scoring 18 Premier League goals and five in the Champions League despite the team’s struggles. However, under new boss Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo has seen his role reduced and the pair’s relationship appeared untenable after Ronaldo directly criticised the Dutchman in his interview.

Related article: “I feel betrayed” – Cristiano Ronaldo attacks United structure as departure looms

With Ronaldo free to sign for a new club ahead of the January transfer window, there will no doubt be much speculation over his next move. Sporting have long been linked with an approach for their former star, while Bayern Munich have again been credited with an interest in taking Ronaldo to Germany.

By Sean Gillen

@SeanGillen9

Comments (12)

This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

Glad that this saga is over and technically won't be dragging on through the tournament. The quicker it was resolved, the better. The media loves to make a meal out of stories like this and is a shame that until now it has overshadowed anything...

Glad that this saga is over and technically won't be dragging on through the tournament. The quicker it was resolved, the better. The media loves to make a meal out of stories like this and is a shame that until now it has overshadowed anything related to Portuguese football (thankfully Portugoal exists though!). The only team Ronaldo belongs to now is the Seleçao. Hopefully the team and task at hand will have his undivided attention.

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Teresa
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Maybe a MLS club will take him and then when they realize he can't move anymore and benched him, he can do an exclusive with Tucker Carlson blaming everyone else but himself.

JP
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Oh please, Ronaldo is too big of a star for the lowly MLS

John
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Agreed.

He's got a solid 2 seasons left at a top 4-6 league; that being Germany, Portugal or France.

From there, he can go to the MLS after.

No point in going now, as he still has plenty to offer the RIGHT team. Not a team like ManU that was...

Agreed.

He's got a solid 2 seasons left at a top 4-6 league; that being Germany, Portugal or France.

From there, he can go to the MLS after.

No point in going now, as he still has plenty to offer the RIGHT team. Not a team like ManU that was a disaster from an organization standpoint and also from a team construction standpoint.

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Martim/Lisboa
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Shocking to see the anti-Ronaldo resentment around here over the past couple years. It’s not a surprise how in shambles United are on and off the pitch.

Sure, there is some criticism for Ronaldo, but why is it when Messi pisses and groans about...

Shocking to see the anti-Ronaldo resentment around here over the past couple years. It’s not a surprise how in shambles United are on and off the pitch.

Sure, there is some criticism for Ronaldo, but why is it when Messi pisses and groans about his last season at Barcelona, everyone is sympathetic toward him? He forced a brute move to PSG and yet you barely hear a peep.

The fact that people are happy about his decline says more about their character than anything else. This doesn’t change my opinion of him

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John
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So you admit he's in decline? How could you be so ungrateful!

Santos
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John, just a quick correction:

Messi did not force a move to PSG, in fact, he cried when he was indirectly forced out. Barcelona's finances are in shambles and they could not afford to pay him any longer.

However, the year before, Messi and...

John, just a quick correction:

Messi did not force a move to PSG, in fact, he cried when he was indirectly forced out. Barcelona's finances are in shambles and they could not afford to pay him any longer.

However, the year before, Messi and his politicking got Barca's then-President, Josep Bartomeu out of his position.

Whether Bartomeu was a good president or not is not for me to say, but what I find interesting is that Messi basically forced his hand, got the President kicked out and then still was told he had to leave. Which leads me to believe, Bartomeu was ultimately correct in this situation (despite the fact that he was also partly to blame for the overall Barca situation).

You are correct in that sense: no one really stepped up and called Messi out for this political BS. That said, this does not excuse Ronaldo's interview. He chose to go back to United despite the fact that the club has chewed up and spit out the likes of Mourinho, van Gaal, Falcao, di Maria, Alexis Sanchez and on and on.

Let's see what this tournament holds, regardless of the circus going on.

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Chris
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Messi asked for $500,000,000,000 in salary.

That's basically not giving a hoot about Barca or your team or the other players.

No loyalty in that regard, but a smart way of getting a move away.

Martim/Lisboa
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Messi, a Barca traitor or Legend?

Messi came to Barca as a 13 y.o. boy. With Xavi and Iniesta, they won everything from 2005-2011. Barca is a registered association and every supporters love Messi. Barca had the list of club history super stars...

Messi, a Barca traitor or Legend?

Messi came to Barca as a 13 y.o. boy. With Xavi and Iniesta, they won everything from 2005-2011. Barca is a registered association and every supporters love Messi. Barca had the list of club history super stars (eg Maradona, Hagi, Ronaldo and Rivaldo etc) , yet they also want to have their own legendary product, the home grown legend, and Messi was the one. Thus Barca maintain the squads based on Messi's playing style. After both Xavi and Iniesta left Barca, Barca got lots of big money signings. However unable to find new replacement of the Age of Golden Midfielders (Xavi and Iniesta), Barca no longer the same level as it was be.

As a homemade legend at Barca, Messi has every power above the club. Neymar knows it at Barca, even they both are good friends he still could only play around Messi, thus Neymar left for PSG.

Barca had great debt long ago, in 2012-13 season Messi's fixed wage rose to €13 million after tax, with 10 million of incentives.

Barca' La Masia was once good at developing home grown players. However as the club builds around Messi, Barca trend to buy star players to suit Messi's playing style.

Messi has all the speaking power at Barca, is nothing a secret. Once teammate of Messi, Eric Abidal at the time as Barca's director of football, publicly stated that some players not working hard enough. Messi then opened fires on him, asking Abidal to speak out who's the players.

2014 World Cup was a disappointment for Messi's Argentina team, losing the final. The following final defeat at Copa America upset Messi alot, announced to quit the national team for the first time.

Then during the pandemic after the shock 8-2 defeat to Bayern (15th August), Messi once again want to quit the team, this time with his beloved team, Barca.

Eric Abidal also resigned following the Champion League defeat.

Well, from this moment most Baca supporters still believe Barca has poor management that makes Messi want to left, but this is not the truth!

Real Zaragoza fail to promote to La Liga due to their top striker loan ended, harming their playoff match performance. And this happen at 5th August. Real Zaragoza even tried to sue the Spanish FA.

Messi then on 25th August made publicly he was betrayed by the president, lies about he could go a year prior to his contract ends. Barca then claims that the agreement already expired at June.

Well, well, well. By noticing the Real Zaragoza case, Messi clearly misleading the public by saying he WAS BETRAYED.
Messi was just trying to make up the reason for leaving Barca. And clearly he was upset by the Bayern defeat. Why? As matter of the fact, he could left for free at June which he didn't, because he knows he got no reason to grab for jumping ship so suddenly. Messi knows he would be accused as traitor, and all his contributions at Barca would become no acknowledgment.

Messi had history of tax evasion, had his Dad working as his agent. When being accused for tax evasion, his dad stated Messi learns nothing as he's always the one who's handling Messi's financial matters.

Messi's Dad is not a fool, does anyone believe Jorge Messi can't figure out when's the contract end? If Messi is loyal to Barca, Jorge Messi could renew contract for Messi during the entire year, not after Messi become a free player nor after the La Liga salary cap reformed.

Messi had too much power at Barca. Laporta once says, KEEPING MESSI COULD HAVE MADE BARCA AT RISK FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

The club president Bartomeu and Eric Abidal resigned, Aguero signed. For keeping Messi, Barca does everything.

Barca makes Messi a legend, and Messi put Barca at risk of bankruptcy.

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Antonio
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The envious and the embittered focus on the number "37" but not the number "32" which was how many goals he scored last season.

Ronaldo scored more than Harry Kane. Salah only bagged 5 more goals playing with a far superior squad with years of...

The envious and the embittered focus on the number "37" but not the number "32" which was how many goals he scored last season.

Ronaldo scored more than Harry Kane. Salah only bagged 5 more goals playing with a far superior squad with years of team chemistry and a manager that loves him.

Because great managers love great players. ETH is a glorified youth coach and his childish, two-faced behavior show that he's the one with the ego:
-You're not playing because you have no preseason [LIE]
-You're not coming on the City game because I respect you too much [LIE]
-Now, come play 3 minutes against Spurs.

Ronaldo was in a lose/lose situation. He could sit and take it quietly or speak out. And this is where his age is relevant. When you're 37, you have absolutely no time to waste on fools. He came to United because he loved the club but he should've put more thought into that decision and I'm sure he will now.

Those that say "no big club wants him" have forgotten to take their medication and need to spend some time away from their computer.

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Adam
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I forgot my favorite ETH moment that doesn't pass the smell test:
-You're suspended for your behavior...and I'm making you team Captain!

To quote Indiana Jones:
"Snakes...why'd it have to be snakes..."

Adam
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You are 37 and a billionaire. Go to Sporting, regardless of the money. Do it for pride in your former club, for pride in your country.

Jerrold Hewson
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