Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy believes that Erik ten Hag should “get rid of” Cristiano Ronaldo this January and that Manchester United are making a mistake by keeping the Portuguese star at Old Trafford.
The former Premier League player feels that the 37-year-old has caused confusion for the United team. Ronaldo made a request to leave the team last summer and missed United’s preseason trip to Thailand and Australia. Instead of bringing in a new centre forward, United spent almost £220 million on other areas of the squad after Ten Hag and the board rejected Ronaldo’s proposal.
The veteran forward accepted United’s choice with reluctance, but his dissatisfaction has grown since the summer. The forward started in just one Premier League game this season. He did score goals against Sheriff and Everton but those were the only bright moments for the player as he has benched in the majority of games.
Murphy asserts that the club needs to get rid of Ronaldo or else he would continue to cast a shadow over their campaign. As reported by the Metro, Murphy said:
“Those pictures of him and Casemiro sitting together against Manchester City, shaking their heads in disbelief, give off the worst impression for the club.”
“I’m not saying Ronaldo has thrown his toys out of the pram but his mere presence as a sidelined player cannot be good for the group. When the January transfer window opens there is no point in keeping Ronaldo because the existing issues are only going to get worse.”
“He won’t be a mainstay in Ten Hag’s team and the longer he is left hanging around, unhappy, the more problematic it will be for everyone. A senior player can provoke little moments in a squad if they are moody or edgy. It gets to the stage where it is a relief to the other lads when they’ve gone.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has been unnecessarily targeted by several pundits even after the manager has insisted that the player has never caused any internal issues in the squad. The striker’s teammates have also praised the 37-year-old’s work rate and commitment to the club.
However, his recent showings cast doubt on his status at the club. Many believe that his poor form is largely due to his inconsistent playing time this season.
Although Ten Hag has Ronaldo at his disposal, he has preferred to use either Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford as the focal striker in the starting XI. It remains to be seen whether the striker decides to move in January or prefers to fight for a spot in the team.
