Manchester United respond to Cristiano Ronaldo leaving pre-season clash against Rayo Vallecano before full-time - Reports
Manchester United have confirmed that they had no issues with Cristiano Ronaldo leaving early during their pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano on July 31. As per Sky Sports, the club further stated that several other players also left the stadium early.
Ronaldo made his pre-season debut under Erik ten Hag against Vallecano last week. He was substituted after the first 45 minutes and was later seen leaving the stadium while the match was still on.
It raised a social media storm and further added to rumors about Cristiano Ronaldo's ambiguous future at the club. The 37-year-old missed the majority of pre-season due to family reasons before returning to training ahead of their clash against Atletico Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly requested Manchester United to let him leave the club this summer
Ronaldo re-joined the Red Devils last summer amid great fanfare. United were expected to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title and at the very least, secure a top-four spot. However, the team fell flat on the performance front and finished a lowly sixth in the league standings.
Ronaldo, to his credit, did what he could by contributing with 24 goals in 38 games across all competitions.
𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗗𝗢 
@Cristiano is back!🇵🇹🔴 𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗗𝗢 🔴🇵🇹
🏡 @Cristiano is back!
#MUFC | #RonaldoReturns
With United not competing in the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo reportedly requested the club to let him leave if they receive an acceptable bid (as per ESPN). However, despite the player being linked with several clubs, a move has simply not come to fruition.
Why Manchester United could be better off by selling Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is a model professional and a serial winner. He has thrived throughout his career on his ability to keep growing and achieving the impossible.
He has only a few years left in his career and will likely be looking to add more silverware before he hangs up his boot. It might not be the best situation for Manchester United, who cannot rush their rebuilding process.
The Red Devils have faltered repeatedly post the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in their bid to revive the glory days. They have overlooked facets like building basic structures and having a club vision amongst other things in their desperate hunt for trophies.
Under Ten Hag, they seem keen to re-establish the order at Old Trafford and rebuild for the future, while potentially compromising immediate success. Ronaldo may not fit into such a plan given his age and drive to win major titles, despite his brilliance on the pitch