Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from Manchester United is "inevitable" according to former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy.
Ronaldo told the Red Devils last weekend that he would be open to leaving Erik ten Hag’s side this summer if United receive a suitable offer for him, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich both reportedly interested in signing the Portuguese international this summer.
Speaking about Ronaldo’s future, Murphy, who played 246 times for Liverpool between 1997 and 2004, and won nine caps for England, has said that he sees Ronaldo’s potential summer exit as one that will happen - and it could suit all parties, including new manager Ten Hag.
Murphy, speaking on behalf of 888 told Mirror Football: “It could suit both parties in the end. There’s obviously lots of factors around that. How do they replace Ronaldo’s goals? Who do they bring in? That is the key. If they can get somebody who they feel is capable of filling that role if he was to leave then it would suit both.
“There is another factor in that of course, how does Ten Hag want to play? Does he want to press from the front and play high energy and high tempo? If he does, then of course, that’s not conducive to what Ronaldo wants to do because of his age and at his time of life, he wants to save his energy for making runs when they’ve got the ball and using his energy to score goals and win games. That’s also a factor.
“My feeling is that he won’t be there, I think that he probably wouldn’t have manufactured or put a statement out there saying that he wants to leave and have a new challenge if he didn’t have some options already open to him because that is generally the way it works, especially with players who have agents with the calibre he has got. I think there is an inevitability about him leaving, I don’t concur with the view that he owes United something. I think circumstances change in any footballers career and it can be in favour and it can be in favour of the club.
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“The fact is, he’s got his sights set on the Champions League, scoring goals in that competition, maintaining that. He probably still wants to go out on a high and win a trophy at the highest level with somebody and he probably sees, and rightly so, that that’s probably not going to be at Manchester United because this is a project. This is something you probably won’t see the improvement at United for at least another 18 months, maybe two years.
“I understand his desire to leave, it will upset one or two but ultimately, it could be a blessing for United. I think there is a valid argument to suggest that the team would be better-suited to have someone in there who can press from the front, who has got a bit more energy and a desire to do the hard yards off the ball.”
Ronaldo finished as the Premier League ’s third top scorer in his return 2021/22 campaign to Old Trafford, netting 18 times in England’s top-flight. Only joint golden boot winners Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Son Heung-Min ( Tottenham Hotspur) scored more than Ronaldo in the league last term with 23 goals each.
However, if Ronaldo was to stay at the club, it would be his first campaign in two decades where he has not played Champions League football, after 19 consecutive seasons in Europe’s elite club competition.
Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored in Champions League history with 141 goals, 16 clear of Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi, who has 125 goals in the competition to his name.
Danny Murphy was speaking on behalf of 888 . Head to 888 now to play a range of exciting and entertaining games.
