Manchester United fans have expressed their happiness at the Premier League club's decision to terminate the contract of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal captain had given a bombshell interview to Piers Morgan last week in which he slammed United, boss Erik ten Hag and club legend Wayne Rooney. The Red Devils promptly announced they were considering what action to take and that has now been confirmed as being the mutual termination of his contract.
Ronaldo has become one of the best players in football history since first joining United in 2003. But his second spell at Old Trafford has been nothing short of a disaster, with many United fans now happy to see him leave the club.
One wrote on Reddit: "Can’t expect much else after he went scorching earth and burned every bridge he had back." Another added: "What a beautiful day. Argentina lost, Ronaldo's gone, it didn't rain at all and I had lovely Indian food for lunch."
A third thanked Ronaldo but insisted it was the right call: "Good...ripped off the bandaid...so Ronaldo's performance in the World Cup does not affect our decision making ...Thank you and thanks for all the (Good) memories."
Another added: "Wow! That was way quicker than I expected. Glad it’s not a drawn out saga." United were also praised for securing a "big win" by moving Ronaldo out of the club.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Have Manchester United made the right call by terminating Cristiano Ronaldo's contract? Comment below.
"From the Utd side, this whole thing has been played brilliantly. Sure this is ultimately what Ronaldo wants too, but it's a big win for Utd if he's going without getting remainder of his wages. A striker in January is necessary, and hopefully a lot more likely now," one fan said.
Others were more scathing in their criticism of Ronaldo, with several writing "Thanks for everything but good riddance". A final fan added a brutal takedown of the attacker, mocking his famous 'siu' celebration by writing: "siu later."
Manchester United announced Ronaldo's departure in a short statement on Tuesday evening. It read: "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.
"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."
Ronaldo added a statement of his own after the news broke, insisting he still loved the club despite his explosive interview. 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."