Manchester United need to offload unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo if they are serious about closing the gap to their Premier League rivals, says Paul Merson.
Ronaldo has informed United that he wants to be granted a transfer away from the club. The 37-year-old is desperate to play Champions League football next season in order to further his legacy in the competition and is unwilling to take part in Erik ten Hag’s rebuilding job at Old Trafford.
He held showdown talks with Ten Hag and chief executive Richard Arnold on Tuesday and remains determined to leave. Ronaldo missed United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia for 'family reasons' and arrived for training at Carrington on Friday with his future in the balance.