The Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United is finally over. The forward's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan always looked likely to hasten his departure from Old Trafford, an event which came to pass on Tuesday.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Ronaldo told Morgan he had been "betrayed" by senior figures at United and, perhaps most shockingly of all, that he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Asked if he felt he was being forced out of United, Ronaldo said: "Yes, not only by the coach, but by another two or three guys around the club that I felt betrayed me.
"I shouldn't say that [they were trying to get rid of me], I don't know, but yes, I feel betrayed. I felt that some people didn't want me here not only this year, but last year too."
If Ronaldo's exit was truly desired by the United hierarchy, they got their wish when the mutual termination of his contract was announced on Tuesday.
How did it get to this point? Let's look back at Ronaldo's tumultuous second spell with the club with whom he made his name.
August 27, 2021: United announce an agreement with Juventus to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, reportedly beating Manchester City to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's signature. On August 31, a two-year deal with an option for a third season is completed.
September 11, 2021: His second debut sees Ronaldo face Newcastle United at home, and he marks it in style with a brace in a 4-1 win.
September 29, 2021: Champions League history for Ronaldo as he breaks the record for the most appearances (178) in the competition and fittingly scores a last-gasp winner as United beat Villarreal 2-1.
November 21, 2021: Ronaldo continued to score important goals for United in the Champions League, however, a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 2-0 loss to City piled the pressure on boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. After a 4-1 loss at Watford, the man who brought Ronaldo back to the club is sacked.
November 29, 2021: Ralf Rangnick is appointed as United's interim manager until the end of the season, with the club planning to keep him on for two years in a consultancy role.
Ronaldo said of Rangnick in his recent interview: "They bring in a sporting director Ralf Rangnick, which is something nobody understands. This guy is not even a coach! A big club like Manchester United bringing in a sporting director surprised not only me but all the world."
December 2, 2021: In Michael Carrick's final game as caretaker manager before Rangnick officially took charge, Ronaldo scored twice in a 3-2 win over Arsenal, netting his 800th and 801st goals in his career for club and country.
February 15, 2022: A goal in a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion ends the longest drought of Ronaldo's career, one that stretched back to a December 30 defeat of Burnley and took in 588 minutes of football.
March 12, 2022: Having missed the Manchester derby because of a hamstring injury, Ronaldo scores a hat-trick on his return in a 3-2 win over Tottenham. The treble takes him to 807 goals, past Josef Bican's all-time record of 805. However, the Czech Republic FA claims Bican actually scored 821.
April 16-23, 2022: A hat-trick against Norwich City marks the 50th treble of Ronaldo's career, and he follows that up a week later with his 100th Premier League goal in a loss to Arsenal, which represented an emotional game for the Portugal international after he and his partner announced the death of their baby son.
April 21, 2022: Erik ten Hag is appointed as United's new manager from the 2022-23 season. On May 16, the Dutchman leaves his role at Ajax early to begin preparations for his new job.
May 22, 2022: United's 2021-22 season ends with the Red Devils in sixth, forcing them to settle for Europa League football. Ronaldo does not feature in their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace, which rounds off a campaign in which he scored 24 goals but never meshed with Rangnick and his style of football.
July 11, 2022: Despite intense speculation around Ronaldo and agent Jorge Mendes trying to force a transfer away from United, Ten Hag insists Ronaldo is "not for sale".
July 31, 2022: Ronaldo leaves early during United's pre-season friendly with Rayo Vallecano, along with some other team-mates. Ten Hag slams that decision as "not acceptable".
October 2, 2022: Ronaldo is left on the bench in the 6-3 loss to City, a game in which United trailed 4-0 at half-time. Ten Hag claims the decision was down to his "respect" for Ronaldo’s career.
October 19, 2022: Having refused to enter the game as a substitute, Ronaldo walks down the tunnel during United's 2-0 win over Tottenham. He is suspended by the club three days later.
November 13, 2022: After missing United's EFL Cup clash with Aston Villa due to an apparent illness, Ronaldo is again absent from their squad for the final game before the World Cup break, a 2-1 win at Fulham. Later that day, the first clips from his bombshell interview are released.
November 16-17, 2022: Ronaldo's interview for Piers Morgan uncensored is aired across two days. Alongside his criticism of Ten Hag, Ronaldo declares United's owners the Glazer family "do not care" about the club, hits out at the team's younger players, and says former team-mate-turned-critic Wayne Rooney is jealous of his success.
Former United defender Gary Neville calls for the Red Devils to terminate Ronaldo's contract in the aftermath of his comments.
November 18, 2022: United commit to taking "appropriate steps" in response to Ronaldo's comments, intensifying speculation they could end his stay with the club.
November 21, 2022: As Ronaldo prepares for his fifth World Cup campaign with Portugal, he fields questions about his controversial interview for the first time.
"I don't have to worry what others think. I talk when I want to," Ronaldo told reporters, before describing himself as "bulletproof".
November 22, 2022: Two days before Portugal begin their World Cup campaign against Ghana, United announce Ronaldo is to leave the club with "immediate effect".
"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team's progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch," read a statement from the club.
Erik ten Hag confident Marcus Rashford can score 40 goals in a season
Erik ten Hag believes ever-improving Manchester United star Marcus Rashford can become a 40-goal-a-season forward.
The 25-year-old pressed reset last summer after the most chastening year of his career, kicked off by his heart-breaking penalty shoot-out miss in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.
Post-tournament shoulder surgery kept Rashford sidelined and an initial flurry of goals on his return quickly dried up amid widespread criticism.
But a priceless pre-season under new boss Ten Hag led to a resurgence, with Rashford scoring his 30th goal of the season in all competitions in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea.
Rashford’s best haul saw him become the first United player to reach 30 goals since Robin van Persie a decade ago, but Ten Hag believes the best is yet to come.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement in his game,” the United boss said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale against Fulham. “I’m convinced he could score even more.
“I think when you take, for instance, the last 10 games, he didn’t score so many goals. I think only two or three.
“So, yeah, he can improve but I am happy from where he was last season to what he did now, that he brings himself back.
“We supported him where we could, with the way of play but also in his mental mindset, so we are happy with that.
“But, yeah, we have to push for more and I am sure he’s capable to score 40 goals in a season, to make also for him the next step.”
Asked if Rashford’s form takes the pressure off getting a striker in the summer, Ten Hag said: “We need across the squad more scoring abilities.
“You can’t be dependent on one. But it can also come from this squad, but we need more scoring abilities.”
Ten Hag has stressed the need for additions and internal improvements after a promising first season in the dugout.
United won February’s Carabao Cup and face Manchester City in the FA Cup final after wrapping up a Champions League return with a game to spare.
“We have to look to ourselves,” Ten Hag said about the next step. “We want to win the cup but that is for next Saturday and we have to do everything that’s in our power.
“I think in many aspects we can improve with this group of players, with this team. I know where we have to improve. I think there is a lot of room for improvement, yes.”
Ten Hag feels “fantastic in this club” and says Manchester feels like a home away from home, where the reaction to people he meets on the street is “absolutely positive”.
That feedback would be even greater from the red half of the city if United can stop rivals City’s treble charge at Wembley in the FA Cup final.
Asked if the FA Cup final was a free hit given what they have achieved already and City’s standing or a chance to send a statement, Ten Hag retorted: “Both not.
“But when I was here one year ago, I said we wanted to win trophies. We have won one, so we want to go for the highest.
“But that is a long, long way, it’s going to be a project. That’s not over one year. We’re talking over one to three years.
“But when there’s an opportunity to win a trophy, for every player it’s massive.
“I have to count but there are not so many players in our team, in our squad who have won the FA Cup. The FA Cup is huge for everyone in the world.
“You can have won the Champions League, you can have won so many titles, but when you have the opportunity to win the FA Cup, it goes all over the world, global-wide, a huge reputation.
“I know from the Netherlands how big the FA Cup is, so we have the opportunity to win that.
“We are also realistic (that) it’s not going to be easy but I can assure you one thing: we will give everything that’s in our power to get the cup.”
Neymar 'has a place in any team' amid Man Utd links, says former team-mate Willian
Neymar's former Brazil team-mate Willian believes the forward could star for any team in world football, as he continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.
Neymar has endured a frustrating spell with Paris Saint-Germain since leaving Barcelona in 2017, failing to win the Champions League and never playing more than 22 games in a single Ligue 1 campaign.
The 31-year-old was ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury in March, leaving him to watch PSG's Champions League round-of-16 exit against Bayern Munich from the sidelines.
With PSG falling short of continental glory once again, both Neymar and fellow attacker Lionel Messi have been linked with a move at the end of the season.
Old Trafford has been suggested as a potential destination for the Brazil star after United clinched a return to the Champions League, and Willian believes he would thrive in England.
"Neymar, with the quality he has, performs anywhere," the Fulham winger told Stats Perform.
"Wherever he goes in the world, he can easily perform with the quality he has, the talent he has.
"It would be really cool to see him playing in the Premier League. Wherever he goes, he has the necessary quality to be able to enjoy and play the beautiful football he knows.
"He has a place in any team in the world for his quality. You only need to know if he wants to go to United.
"It's a great club. For sure, if he goes there, he will be in a huge club. It's a club that has won many titles here, it's considered one of the biggest clubs in England along with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, all big clubs.
"If he comes to England, no doubt it would be great to see him in the Premier League."
While Neymar could become the latest Selecao star to grace the English top flight, his fellow Brazilian Roberto Firmino will seek pastures new after he plays his final game for Liverpool on Sunday.
Asked about Firmino's impact on the Premier League, Willian said: "He made history here. He's a player that I'm a big fan of, he's a star player for me.
"He made history at Liverpool and won important titles. He is respected not only by Liverpool fans, but he is highly respected here in England. He leaves a legacy here.
"I don't know if he'll stay in England, but if he leaves, he'll leave a huge legacy of what he did."
Willian was also asked about the performances of Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners earlier this week following an outstanding campaign.
"He has the potential to be a great player, he has a lot of talent," Willian said of his fellow wideman.
"He's a player who has all the conditions to keep evolving, being one of Arsenal's big names and, consequently, fighting to be one of the best players in the league, without a doubt."
Erik ten Hag backs Jadon Sancho to build on progress at Manchester United
Erik ten Hag says Jadon Sancho’s progress and potential is one of the reasons Manchester United have a “good base” to kick on from next season.
The 23-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 in a £73million deal following a prolonged pursuit.
Sancho has shown flashes of his outstanding talent but has yet to fully live up to the billing, with the United winger falling out of the England reckoning as a result.
Ten Hag has worked carefully with Sancho, who went on an individual winter fitness programme in the Netherlands rather than travel to the squad’s World Cup camp in Spain.
Back then the patient United boss said the player was “not in the right status or fitness state”, but he has since made strides and the Dutchman expects even more from him.
“He did very well on the right side and I think he played a very good game,” Ten Hag said after Thursday’s 4-1 defeat of Chelsea.
“I think Jadon Sancho is one of the players who made progress in the season and there were many players in our squad who made good progress. I think it’s a good base to build further on.”
Asked if he preferred Sancho on the right or left, Ten Hag said: “He can do both.
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“I think he prefers to play on the left, but we have seen today he is very good on the right as well.”
United’s win against Chelsea sealed qualification for next season’s Champions League with a game to spare.
Ten Hag immediately underlined that summer signings are needed, but also stressed there is far more to come from the likes of Sancho.
“Still, we can also improve with this squad, as we did this season,” the United boss said.
“I said (signings) is one part of it. The other thing is progress in the current squad and the current players.
“That is the job that I have to do, in togetherness with that squad and with my coaching staff.
“As (of) now, I think we make huge progress during the season. The team, many individuals play a fantastic, great season.
“Now we have a good base but, as I just mentioned, I think there is still a lot of room for improvement also in this squad.
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“But then when you get the right players in, that will help and even give you more depth and a better standard and level.
“Then you have more chance to be in the top four and then it gives you more chance to win titles and trophies.”
United have already won the Carabao Cup this season and return to Wembley to face Manchester City in a mouth-watering FA Cup final on June 3.
But first comes the Premier League season finale against Fulham – the last home match before long-serving David De Gea’s contract expires.
Both parties have spoken positively about agreeing new terms but talks have dragged on, although Ten Hag downplayed the suggestion Sunday could be the goalkeeper’s last Old Trafford appearance.
“I think we want him to stay and he wants to stay, so I think we will find each other,” he said of the Premier League Golden Glove winner, who joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
“I never will give a comment about that, about how negotiations are going.”
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