"As a former teammate and fan of Manchester United" - Wayne Rooney reacts to Cristiano Ronaldo's contract being terminated
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo's contract termination with the club.
The Red Devils announced on Tuesday (November 22) that they have terminated the forward's contract with a mutual agreement. This comes after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, where the Portuguese ace slammed Manchester United.
Ronaldo claimed that the club haven't progressed since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 and that they betrayed him. The former Real Madrid man also hit out at manager Erik ten Hag and former United striker Rooney.
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.
#MUFC
Speaking after Ronaldo's contract termination, Rooney shared his sadness at his former teammate's departure, as he said (via @UtdDistrict):
"It's sad to see a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, as I've said many times one of the best players of all time, to see it end this way with #mufc is obviously, as a former teammate and a fan of Manchester United, it's sad to see it end this way."
He added:
"It's a shame because he's been a fantastic servant for #mufc and I wish him all the best which whichever club he goes to next."
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is now a free agent and will have to look for a new club in the January transfer window.
What did Cristiano Ronaldo say about Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney?
The former England international has been vocal in his criticism of Ronaldo in recent times. The Portugal captain has scored just three goals and provided two assists in 16 games across competitions for the Red Devils this term.
He certainly didn't take Rooney's criticism lightly as in his interview with Morgan, he said:
"I don't know why he criticises me so badly... probably because he finished his career and I'm still playing at high level."
He added:
"I'm not going to say that I'm looking better than him. Which is true."
Manager Erik ten Hag has preferred to use the veteran forward off the bench this campaign, which certainly hasn't sat well with him. He even refused to come on, walked into the tunnel and reportedly left the stadium during Manchester United's clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
His interview with Morgan was effectively his final act as a United player.
NEW: Cristiano Ronaldo reveals why be blanked Gary Neville on the pitch and what he really thinks of Wayne Rooney.
@cristiano | @GNev2 | @WayneRooney | @piersmorgan | @TalkTV https://t.co/9PtiHWb2ey
Overall, the 37-year-old has scored 145 goals and provided 64 assists in 346 matches in his two stints for the Red Devils. He won numerous trophies with them in his first stint, including one UEFA Champions League trophy, three Premier League titles, and more.