The Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United took another turn on Wednesday, as head coach Erik ten Hag said it was “unacceptable” for the striker to leave at halftime of a preseason game.
After missing United’s tour of Thailand and Australia due to a family issue Ronaldo made his preseason debut on Sunday, starting against Rayo Vallecano before he was taken off at halftime.
With his services no longer needed, the Portuguese star decided to head out and was pictured leaving with Diogo Dalot – who, unlike Ronaldo, was not in the squad on the day.
Asked if he was comfortable with his Ronaldo leaving, Ten Hag told Viaplay Sport: “He was not the only one who left after halftime, I tell them (the players) that it’s unacceptable. That we are a team, and that you need to stay right until the very end.”
Ronaldo’s search for a new team
Transfer rumors have been swirling around Ronaldo all summer, with the 37-year-old reportedly looking to leave Old Trafford after only making his return last summer.
Ronaldo is in search of a team in the Champions League, but has so far been unable to find a suitor. Several clubs, including Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich, have publicly ruled out a move for the forward.
According to the BBC, United has continued to maintain that Ronaldo is not for sale.
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