Cristiano Ronaldo branded his return to Manchester United a ‘disaster’ — a new book sensationally claims.
The Portuguese star rejoined United in August 2021 but his
time at Old Trafford has been plagued by controversy.
It culminated in boss Erik ten
Hag banishing him from the team after he refused to come on in this month’s win over Spurs.
The book — which details the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s
stellar career and is published next month — insists he was:
UNHAPPY under previous interim boss Ralf Rangnick,
confessing to a senior executive during a Fifa event in the UK: “This is a
disaster.”
FRUSTRATED about the lack of investment in facilities at the
Carrington training ground.
ANNOYED the club had not evolved since he left for Real
Madrid in 2009.
SHOCKED few players shared the same level of commitment as
him to remain in peak physical shape.
Ronaldo, 37, has scored 27 goals in 51 appearances since
rejoining from Juventus.
But he still wants to leave in January after just two Prem
starts under Ten Hag, even though he has now been reinstated in the first-team
squad.
And the book — Messi
vs Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two GOATs, and the Era That Remade the World’s Game —
also claims former United team-mate Rio Ferdinand persuaded him not to sign
for bitter rivals Manchester City in a 3am phone call.
United finished sixth last term and endured another
trophyless season following Rangnick’s appointment after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
was sacked.
Ten Hag fined Ron two weeks wages for his Old Trafford
strop but recalled him for
Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League win over Sheriff.
Ronaldo took to social media
to explain his actions against Spurs, insisting: “I’ve always tried to
set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams I’ve
represented.
“Unfortunately that’s not always possible and sometimes the
heat of the moment gets the best of us.”