Gary Neville insists Cristiano Ronaldo looks happier at Man United after wanting an exit this summer

Gary Neville has pinpointed a recent change in Cristiano Ronaldo’s demeanour at Manchester United after wanting to leave this summer. 

The star forward announced his desire to quit Old Trafford this summer due to the club failing to qualify for the Champions League this season and has often cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines, with a bit-part role under new boss Erik ten Hag. 

But Neville told The Mirror that Ronaldo seems happier at United, having potentially accepted he will not start every game now, and urged him to stay in January and help his side finish in the top four.

Gary Neville highlighted a recent change in the mood of Man United’s Cristiano Ronaldo (right)

Neville insists the star forward looks happier after announcing his desire to leave this summer

He said: ‘What I would hope is that, like with any other player coming towards the end of his career, he’ll accept that he won’t play every single game and he’ll stay and become a massive contributor like he was on Sunday night [in the win over Everton] and United will have a good season.

‘If Ronaldo stays I do think they have a far better chance of being a top-four team, even if he doesn’t play every week and he comes off the bench like he did against Everton. But I suspect his mentality, his psyche is such that he can’t not play.

‘He feels it’s an insult and people I respect enormously in the game think he’s being disrespected by being on the bench, but I don’t see that at all. I think Erik ten Hag has come out of this really well.’

Veteran Ronaldo, 37, scored 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions last campaign but has only started once in the league this season, a 4-0 thrashing by Brentford in mid-August, and lost his place after that.

United icon Neville urged Ronaldo to stay and help his side qualify for the Champions League

Since then, he has largely been used as an impact substitute in the Premier League and started in Europa League midweek games. But after scoring his first in the league against Everton on Sunday, Neville feels it could be a turning point for him.

He added: ‘Where is he going to play in Europe? In the summer, no one wanted him in the transfer window. I think United have played it pretty well, this one. He’s playing, doing the right things on and off the pitch. 

‘It was interesting on Sunday when he scored. The players on the pitch really responded to that and you can tell a lot in goal celebrations. Over the last 12 months there have been times where I can see when he’s scored or someone else has scored and I’ve thought there isn’t much togetherness there.

‘I did feel on Sunday there was a genuinely good atmosphere in the group who went to celebrate with him and I think that’s something that is really important, so the fact that that has happened makes me feel that he, at this moment, has got his head on.’