United’s inactivity in the transfer market has been another source of frustration for the 37-year-old, with players such as Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez joining their Premier League rivals.
Ronaldo’s apparent unhappiness at Old Trafford is a story that won’t go away anytime soon as I speak to him talkSPORT Engine This week, TV host and journalist Piers Morgan added another layer to the thick plot.
Morgan, who previously interviewed Ronaldo, said he was in close contact with the striker last season.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with him about it knowing his frustration has been simmering and simmering and simmering all year round,” he said.
“Remember, he came to Manchester United again because he thinks he can win things with them and he thinks it’s going to be a missing gear in the wheel and that they will not only qualify for the Champions League, but they might also qualify to win the league.
“I think he was incredibly frustrated with the overall level of dedication, graft, enthusiasm and will to win, not to mention the hunger of this Manchester United squad. Especially some of the young players.
“He gave a completely ambiguous interview at the beginning of the year when he said that as a teenager at United he was always asking for advice from Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand – all those big, smart players who were there.”
Morgan added: “He was responding to advice but I got the impression from the interview that he said he didn’t get that at United. They don’t really want to hear it.
“When you look at these young players at United, there’s a lot of talent out there but do they have anything like the required drive, which comes from within,” says Ronaldo.
He ended up scoring 24 goals last season, 18 league goals, in second place behind Son and Salah. He has scored more league goals than Harry Kane who is almost ten years his junior.
“This guy is supposed to be the problem at Manchester United. He’s not the problem, and he’s leaving, I think, because he’s totally sick and tired of having to carry that squad.”
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