Former Manchester United forward Louis Saha has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for just “thinking about himself” as he plots a route out of the club.
The Portuguese forward left supporters shocked earlier this summer after submitting a request to leave Old Trafford just 12 months after sealing an emotional return from Italian giants Juventus. The Red Devils have maintained a strong stance over his future by signalling that he remains under contract and is not up for sale under any circumstances.
Saha has criticised Ronaldo for taking a selfish viewpoint on his future. In an interview with Sky Bet, he said: “I’m not Cristiano but as someone who seems to be a supporter of Manchester United, I have felt like he hasn’t shown completely enough of that, he is thinking about himself.
“I am not going to judge him because he is an immense player and I’m not in his position, but I would have loved him to stay because he’s a terrific player. No-one can judge his actions at this moment because it’s his own career.”
Some reports have suggested that the Portuguese international has even requested to be released on a free transfer rather than serve the final 12 months of his deal at Old Trafford. A lack of Champions League football has been pointed to as a prime reason for Ronaldo wanting to leave.
Given he only returned to the Red Devils last summer last summer, Saha has suggested that the 37-year-old is mistaken if he believes he would be granted an exit this summer, regardless of the club’s poor form both prior to and after he signed.
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Saha continued: “In some way, from Cristiano Ronaldo’s point of view it’s a bit unrealistic to ask now a club of this size to adapt to him and his dream.
“Even last year, I’m sorry but the magic could have happened and everything could have gone well and they won the Champions League and the Premier League and there we go, he could say that he could stay because he had participated in that. It was unrealistic that just his arrival would have changed all this.
“Asking that again after a poor season and maybe not great transfer market business in his view, I don’t really understand how dramatic it is to change and to do all those things. I think that last year he had been in Juventus but they hadn’t won the Champions League.”
A number of clubs have been linked with a move for Ronaldo over the past few weeks including Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. It seems unlikely that any of the trio will be able to seal a deal, though.
In the meantime, Ronaldo made his first appearance for the Red Devils on Sunday, playing 45 minutes of their final friendly of the summer against Spanish side Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford.
Louis Saha was talking to Sky Bet about the Sky Bet Fan Hope Survey, a poll of over 2500 fans on their hopes and expectations ahead of the new season. To read more from Louis, and to take the survey, visit the Sky Bet Start of Season Hub.
