Former Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger believes it would be in Cristiano Ronaldo's best interests to leave Old Trafford if he doesn't "trust the club."
Ronaldo, who has been included in Portugal's 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar, is out-of-contract at United next summer and is widely expected to leave at the end of the season. Opportunities have not been as forthcoming as he would have liked so far this season and he made his feelings clear during the Reds' 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur last month.
After starting the contest on the bench, Ronaldo refused to step onto the pitch as a late substitute, instead choosing to head back to the dressing room before the game had even finished. His actions overshadowed what was an excellent performance from his teammates and he was banished from the squad for the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea three days later.
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Manager Erik ten Hag, though he was firm in punishing Ronaldo for his actions, welcomed him back into the side for the following fixture just under a week later and that signalled the beginning of four successive starts in all competitions for the 37-year-old. However, he has struggled to adapt to Ten Hag's style of play, scoring just three times this season.
There has been growing speculation that he could leave United as soon as January if the right opportunity presents itself. And for Schweinsteiger, who spent two years in M16, Ronaldo might be better off leaving the club if he has doubts about his position.
"You could see that Cristiano was unhappy with his position and it is never good for a team if you have a player doing those kinds of things," Schweinsteiger told BBC Radio 5 Live. "But he is professional enough to handle the situation, in my eyes - but he also needs to respect the coach.
"His opinion in that position is very important. Also, there are young kids looking up to a star like Cristiano and I don't think it is a good example if you walk off the field during a game and behave like that.
"He is now getting back [in the team] and I hope Cristiano trusts the club. If he doesn't really trust the club and is not alright with his position, I think it is actually better for him to move on."
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