Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘highly UNLIKELY’ to play for United again and has ‘mentally moved on’, says Piers Morgan – who claims he has spoken to star and believes he will end up ‘somewhere surprising’
- Cristiano Ronaldo has told Manchester United that he wants to leave the club
- However, his options for a move away appear to be limited this summer
- Piers Morgan thinks Ronaldo has ‘mentally moved on’ from United
- He feels that it is likely that Ronaldo has played for United for the last time
- Morgan believes Ronaldo could end up ‘somewhere surprising’ this summer
Piers Morgan feels it is ‘highly unlikely’ that Cristiano Ronaldo will play for Manchester United again after speaking to the forward this week, and has tipped the Portuguese star to move ‘somewhere surprising’ this summer.
Ronaldo only returned to Old Trafford last year, but after a disappointing campaign for the Red Devils, it was reported earlier this month that he had asked to leave the club if they received an appropriate offer this summer.
He has since not joined up with the squad for their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, and Morgan believes the 37-year-old has ‘mentally moved on’ from United.
Piers Morgan feels Cristiano Ronaldo has ‘mentally moved on’ from Manchester United
Morgan has spoken to Ronaldo recently, and does not think he will play for United again
‘I have had quite a lot of contact in the last week. I certainly think it’d be highly unlikely if Cristiano Ronaldo plays another game for Manchester United. I just think mentally he’s moved on,’ Morgan told talkSPORT.
‘If you’re him and coming towards the end of your career and you still want to win major trophies you’ve got to make a calculation. Am I going to do it if I stay at United?
‘I think he feels the club structure from the top down isn’t right. It’s not a reflection on the new manager [Erik ten Hag], he’s got a lot of respect for him, but it’s just an accurate reflection of where United are right now.
‘It’s for him to say what he feels but if you’re asking me then I don’t think he’s going to stay at Manchester United.’
Morgan has claimed that Ronaldo respects Erik ten Hag but still wants to leave
If Ronaldo does have his heart set on leaving United, his options appear to be limited.
Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich have all rejected the opportunity to make a move for him in recent days.
He has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, although a switch to the Spanish club could prove controversial given his previous history with their cross-city rivals Real Madrid.
Morgan thinks Ronaldo could end up somewhere unexpected, and has revealed that he is still trying to convince him to join Arsenal – the club he supports – after the Gunners missed out on the superstar almost two decades ago when he was a teenager.
Arsene Wenger wanted to bring Ronaldo to Arsenal when he was still a teenager
Morgan has not given up hope that Ronaldo could still move to Arsenal this summer
Morgan continued: ‘I think he could end up somewhere quite surprising.
‘Arsenal fans listening should know I’m doing everything in my power to try and persuade him to come to Arsenal.
‘And bearing in mind he was close to coming to Arsenal as an 18-year-old, he was about to sign under Arsene Wenger, and at the last minute he blitzed United in a friendly for Sporting Lisbon and Ferguson didn’t leave that game until he signed him.
‘I believe he’d be coming home!
‘Him up front with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah would be a fantastic forward line for us, so why not?’
Erik ten Hag admits he still hasn’t spoken to Ronaldo since the Man United star asked to leave
Erik ten Hag admits he still hasn’t spoken to Ronaldo since he asked to leave the club, and doesn’t know when the player will return to training less than three weeks before the new season starts.
Ten Hag backed the 37-year-old to be fit for the new campaign even though there has been no contact or indication when Ronaldo will report back for training.
‘The same status as last week in Bangkok. No change,’ said the United boss in Melbourne on Monday.
‘He is training. I think we all know Ronaldo is a top professional and he will be fit – that is the last concern I have.’
