Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy has urged Manchester United to make a 'difficult' decision and sell forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 37-year-old returned to Old Trafford last summer after spells with Real Madrid and Juventus. He's certainly made an impact with 18 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions this season.
United, though, remain some way off the pace as they find themselves in a battle for top four, alongside Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham. Their Champions League hopes also came to a bitter end this week after they were defeated 2-1 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid.
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A new permanent manager is expected to be appointed at the end of the season, but a change on personnel on the pitch will also be necessary for United to catch up with the likes of Liverpool and City. Murphy, who made over 200 appearances for the Reds, says moving on Ronaldo may be necessary.
"Something radical needs to change at Manchester United even if it means important players like Cristiano Ronaldo being sold. You have to be careful dealing with superstars on big contracts, it’s better to find other takers before you fall out with them," he told the Daily Mail.
"But the bigger picture is that United have gone five years without a trophy and need to back a top manager who is there for the long haul. Those guys will want to do things their own way and a clear-out makes sense, headed by Paul Pogba and Ronaldo.
"You can’t question Ronaldo’s quality but he’s 37 and, despite his goals, United don’t have balance as a team. They rely on Ronaldo’s individual brilliance, which can work in some games, but doesn’t against the best teams in the Premier League and Champions League."
