Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has told Cristiano Ronaldo it is "unacceptable" for him to leave games early after his Old Trafford departure on Sunday afternoon.
The veteran forward, 37, walked out of Old Trafford before the end of United's friendly against Rayo Vallecano, which finished 1-1. He was brought off at the interval - ending his first appearance of pre-season - and was pictured leaving the stadium before full-time along with defender Diogo Dalot, who played no part in the game.
Ten Hag's comments contradict the club's stance on the matter after they confirmed they had 'no issue' with Ronaldo leaving Old Trafford. It also suggests the Portuguese superstar's ongoing transfer saga is causing problems for the new United boss.
Ronaldo reportedly wants to leave United to play Champions League football. The Red Devils finished sixth in the Premier League last season, qualifying for the Europa League. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner still has one year left on his existing deal.
United told the Daily Mail they have 'no issue' with Ronaldo leaving Old Trafford early after initially refusing to comment. But in an interview with Dutch outlet Viaplay Sport Nederland, Ten Hag confirmed he wasn't happy with the player's actions.
The interviewer asked Ten Hag: "At the beginning of the conversation, we talked about how important it is for you to have players arrive on time and your attention to details. But Cristiano seems to arrive and leave whenever he wants, how do you manage that?"
What do you make of Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer saga? Let us know in the comments below!
Ten Hag replied: "He was allowed to leave because of private reasons with his family, so what you are saying is absolutely not true." To which the interviewer responded: "But against Rayo, he left the game during the break."
Ten Hag replied: "There were many more players who left." The interviewer was surprised by Ten Hag's response and asked: "So you think that's OK? Let is pass?"
Ten Hag bluntly said: "Definitely not." To which the interviewer asked: "So, how do you handle that?" At that point, Ten Hag gave his true feelings on the matter. "I certainly don't condone this," said the Dutchman. "This is unacceptable. For everyone. We are a team and you have to stay until the end."
Ronaldo was criticised in the press for leaving Sunday's game before full-time. "It doesn’t look good," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told talkSPORT. "I don’t think whatever your grievances are or however big a name you are you should do that. I think it gives a horrible message and it has to be dealt with."
Murphy added: "You can’t have a player doing that, it sets a horrendous example."
Murphy's talkSPORT colleague and former Tottenham ace Jamie O'Hara added: "He’s one of the greatest players ever but he’s still got to be a part of a squad and a part of a team. If he’s been dragged at half-time and left, that’s not good. You can’t do that as a player."
