Cristiano Ronaldo may have been one of the few bright spots of Manchester United last season, but things have taken a huge twist in the 2022-23 campaign. The Portuguese may still be part of the roster, but his days at Old Trafford once again look numbered.
Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a move away from Manchester during the summer as he reportedly wanted to play in the UEFA Champions League. However, no deal was materialized and he ended up staying at the club.
But the 37-year-old has seen little playing time since the arrival of ten Hag, who dropped him of the starting eleven in favor of Marcus Rashford as the team's primary striker. Ronaldo has recently shown his frustration in the worst possible way, but the manager was not afraid to show his authority.
Man United boss Erik ten Hag punishes Cristiano Ronaldo over controversial attitude
Though Ronaldo didn't feature in Manchester United's 2-0 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday, he still found a way to make headlines — but for the wrong reasons. The Portuguese was seen leaving the game before the final whistle, something that clearly didn't sit well with ten Hag. According to the Daily Mail, Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute.
Therefore, the Dutch manager decided to drop Ronaldo for Saturday's game against Chelsea. “Cristiano will not be part of the Man United team for this Saturday’s game against Chelsea. Rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture," the club said in a statement, via Fabrizio Romano.
The future of Ronaldo at the club remains uncertain. Though he's still under contract until the end of the season, the latest word on the street is that the club is ready to let him go in the winter transfer window.
This is not the first time Ronaldo has a controversial attitude since ten Hag arrived, as he also left a preseason game after being subbed off at halftime. He still has time to change his behavior, but it looks like a matter of time before he leaves United.
