Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants Manchester United to release him from his contract in the ongoing summer transfer window.
According to the Daily Mail, Cristiano Ronaldo wants Manchester United to terminate his contract so that he can join another club on a free transfer in the ongoing transfer window. The Portuguese international seems desperate to leave the club in search of UEFA Champions League football.
The 37-year-old returned to Manchester United last summer amidst much fanfare. The reunion was expected to be a fruitful one, but things took a turn for the worse soon after a dream start to Ronaldo’s second stint at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese forward struggled with form as Manchester United fell out of the race to finish in the Premier League top four to secure Champions League football for the 2022/23 season. Ronaldo eventually finished with 24 goals across all competitions but failed to lead the club to silverware.
With the arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag, the former Real Madrid attacker was reportedly ready to honour his contract, which still has a year remaining on it. But Ronaldo made a U-turn and is now trying to force an exit from Manchester United.
His agent Jorge Mendes has offered multiple clubs the opportunity to sign Ronaldo in the ongoing transfer window, including the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid. But as things have turned out, each of the aforementioned clubs have declined the opportunity to get the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on board.
After missing the club’s pre-season tour, Ronaldo returned to Carrington with his agent to try and force an exit from Manchester United. As per the report by Daily Mail, Mendes urged the Red Devils to release Ronaldo, but the 20-time English champions have rejected his request, stressing that the Portuguese forward will have to honour his contract.
Moreover, the lack of concrete interest from potential suitors also puts Manchester United in a strong position. With the season starting in just over a week, the Red Devils will hope to keep hold of Ronaldo or find a replacement soon enough to not affect the start of their season.
