Cristiano Ronaldo did not return to Manchester United training on Monday after the club accepted his explanation that family reasons would prevent him for coming back as scheduled.
Ronaldo wants to leave United after growing frustrated at what he sees as a lack of ambition in their summer transfer dealings and concluding they cannot win the Premier League. The 37-year-old also wants to play in the Champions League.
Ronaldo was due back on Monday with all the other players who were involved in international matches after the Premier League season ended. The rest of the squad returned at the start of last week. Ronaldo has one year left on his contract and United insist he is not for sale.
United are close to their first signings of the Erik ten Hag era, with Tyrell Malacia at their Carrington base on Monday for the second part of his medical and Christian Eriksen having verbally agreed to join on a three-year deal.
Malacia, a Netherlands left-back, is poised to complete a move from Feyenoord for €15m (£12.9m) plus €2m in add-ons. Eriksen is a free agent after his short-term deal at Brentford expired.
