Rio Ferdinand has questioned whether Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag communicated with Cristiano Ronaldo about what his role would be at Old Trafford this season.
Ronaldo's future at the club has been thrown into serious doubt after he refused to step off the bench during last Wednesday night's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Taking disciplinary action against the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ten Hag banished Ronaldo from the squad for Saturday's trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. He also forced him to train alone at the club's Carrington training base the day before.
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The United boss is set to hold talks with Ronaldo on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if he will creep back into his thoughts for Thursday evening's Europa League clash against Sheriff Tiraspol at Old Trafford.
But regardless of what happens against the Moldovan outfit, former United defender Ferdinand has raised doubts about whether Ten Hag clearly informed Ronaldo about what his role would be this term.
Ferdinand, speaking on Vibe with Five, said: "In the summer, did the manager want him or not want him? Whatever the outcome, there has to be communication. Did Ten Hag say, 'You're not going, we're going to keep you, but you're going to be a bit-part player'. Was that conversation had? I wouldn't have thought that would have happened at all.
"With someone like Cristiano, if you can communicate what the season is going to look like for him, bearing in mind he was their top goalscorer last season, what is the season going to look like? Did he [Ten Hag] say, 'You're going to get five minutes here and there, or, actually, I am going to play you and you're going to be my No.9. Or you are going to be the back-up No.9 to [Anthony] Martial and [Marcus] Rashford'.
"If that conversation is had, I don't think we have the reaction that we saw against Tottenham, when he walked off five minutes before the game had finished. Listen, I want people to know, I don't condone that. I don't condone Cristiano walking off and leaving his teammates with five minutes still to play.
"If I was in the changing room I'd have said to him, 'Come on, man, that is not good enough'. But what I am saying is, you have got to look at how it gets to that point. If the manager is honest in a few months time when the dust has settled and looks back, I think he could say that he wishes he could have communicated this better, because we wouldn't have got to where we are right now."
Contrary to Ferdinand's comments, the MEN understands Ten Hag was receptive to selling Ronaldo during the summer transfer window, but United co-owner Joel Glazer was against sanctioning his departure.
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