Manchester United have confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo has had his contract terminated with immediate effect less than a week after his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old forward's second spell at Old Trafford has come to an end just days after he confessed he "doesn't respect" manager Erik ten Hag on national television.
United's statement on the matter 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 refused to leave quietly, releasing a statement of his own. "Following conversations with Manchester United, we have mutually agreed to end our contract early," the five-time Ballon d'Or winner explained.
"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."
Mirror Football has taken a look at three potential additions United could look to make in the coming months as they bid to replace Ronaldo after his Old Trafford nightmare finally comes to an end.
Cody Gakpo
The Netherlands forward is currently out in Qatar aiming to secure football's most coveted trophy for his country, but speculation of his club future will not go away and is likely to increase in light of this news.
United had wanted to land Gakpo's signature prior to Ronaldo's departure, but with a vacany in their front-line the Red Devils will surely up their efforts to sign the PSV Eindhoven talent. The young forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last year and a half.
12 goals and 13 assists last term put Gakpo's name on plenty of transfer shortlists across Europe, but he has picked up from where he left off and then some this season with nine goals and 12 assists before the Eredivisie paused for the World Cup.
Gakpo also netted his nation's first goal of this World Cup against Senegal and is only attracting more admirers each time he takes to the field at the moment, Ten Hag could view the January transfer window as the perfect time to swoop.
Benjamin Sesko
The Slovenian teenager has been tracked by United for some time and was viewed as a potential replacement for Ronaldo when the Portuguese icon made clear he wanted out of Old Trafford in the summer.
United kept hold of the 37-year-old and saw their hopes of signing Sesko take a huge blow in the process given he has already agreed on where he'll go next.
Currently plying his trade for Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg, Sesko has penned a pre-contract agreement with Red Bull Leipzig that will see him make the move to the Bundesliga next summer.
That doesn't rule out an Old Trafford switch however, as if United put down the kind of cash that would prove too enticing to turn down in the eyes Leipzig they'd secure Sesko as a result.
Kylian Mbappe
One of the most talked about footballers on the planet, United recently emerged as a surprise name weighing up the prospect of a serious effort to land Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe.
Just last week, Mirror Football exclusively revealed how the Red Devils were plotting an astonishing £150million move for the Frenchman to fill the Ronaldo-shaped void at Old Trafford.
Mbappe only penned a contract extension with the Ligue 1 giants earlier this year, but rumours of a rift with those high up in the club's hierarchy have sparked fresh speculation over a potential exit in the summer.
Bridges between Mbappe's camp and Real Madrid may have been burned after last summer's failed negotiations, but United could look to spend some of the money they will now save on Ronaldo's wages to try and lure the 23-year-old former Golden Boy to Manchester.
