‘Highly unlikely if…’: Piers Morgan drops bombshell Cristiano Ronaldo transfer update for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo’s future is the talk of the entire footballing world, as one of the sport’s most iconic figures seeks a move away from Manchester United after only a year into his return to the club at which he made his name. Having asked for time away from United’s preseason tour, it is appearing more and more likely that Ronaldo is trying to leave the team which has always been dear to his heart, fresh off the disappointment of a season in which the English club finished sixth and failed to qualify for the Champions League.

British television host Piers Morgan, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, this week revealed what he has heard from Ronaldo, with whom he has maintained close contact ever since the Portuguese attacker joined the Premier League in 2003. Phoning in on radio show talkSPORT, Morgan said “I have had quite a lot of contact in the last week. I certainly think it’d be highly unlikely if Cristiano Ronaldo plays another game for Manchester United. I just think mentally he’s moved on.”

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United have enjoyed a strong preseason tour of Thailand and Australia under new manager Erik ten Hag, and have signed players such as Tyrrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, and Christian Eriksen, as well as in constant pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. However, Morgan claims Ronaldo is dissatisfied with the direction the club is heading in: “I’m not going to say what we’ve said to each other but like I said from the start I don’t think Cristiano feels Manchester United share his ambitions.”

“I think he feels that the signings they’re making, the commitment they showed last season, where they finished up and a lack of Champions League football… If you’re him and coming towards the end of your career and you still want to win major trophies you’ve got to make a calculation,” continued Morgan, who now works for TalkTV in the UK, with a show called Piers Morgan Uncensored. “Am I going to do it if I stay at United?”

United finished second under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the season before they signed Ronaldo, and the talisman’s return was meant to signal a return to the very top for the Red Devils. However, the club experienced a massive backslide instead, limping through to sixth in the next season, with Solskjaer leaving midway through. Ronaldo scored 18 goals, but many believe it came at the cost of cohesion in United’s attack, and brought disbalance to the team.

“I think he feels the club structure from the top down isn’t right. It’s not a reflection on the new manager [Erik ten Hag], he’s got a lot of respect for him, but it’s just an accurate reflection of where United are right now,” continued Morgan.

“It’s for him to say what he feels but if you’re asking me then I don’t think he’s going to stay at Manchester United. I think he could end up somewhere quite surprising.”

Ronaldo’s struggles with finding a club have come down to the fact that the clubs that can afford him are not in dire need of someone in his position, while clubs that would like to have him cannot pay him the wages he desires. He has reportedly been turned down by Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, but has recently been in contact with Atletico Madrid, as per recent news. Morgan joked about Ronaldo coming to Arsenal, but the London-based club will be unlikely to be able to offer the financial package the 5-time Ballon d‘Or winner desires.

United have three more preseason matches to play before they begin their season against Brighton in the Premier League, but where Ronaldo will be when that day rolls around is uncertain, to say the least.