Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United with immediate effect

He made several controversial statements about the club in a recent interview.

In a shocking turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Manchester United after both parties agreed to mutually terminate his contract with the club. He will not be playing for the Red Devils again after joining them on 31 August 2021 for a second spell. The 37-year-old will be a free agent after leaving the Premier League outfit.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect. The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances. And wishes him and his family well for the future” the club statement reads.

Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player at the FIFA World Cup 2022 without a club. The former Real Madrid star will be leading the Portugal national team as a free agent when the team kicks off its campaign against Ghana on 24 November 2022. Having said that, his second stint with MUFC comes to a conclusion on a sour note and a poor run of form.

The Interview

This decision comes against the backdrop of a controversial interview by Cristiano Ronaldo where he made several statements regarding the club, manager Erik ten Hag and more. Post his statements, it was difficult to see him wear Manchester United’s jersey again. He particularly lost the support of the MUFC fanbase post the aforementioned interview.

Cristiano’s Statement

Cristiano Ronaldo also made a statement after his departure from Manchester United was confirmed. He said, “Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early. I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge. I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future.”

It is hard to predict where will Cristiano Ronaldo play club football post his departure from Manchester United. One can safely assume it is not the end of his journey at the elite level, despite the age factor playing against him.