Gary Neville has admitted he is disappointed in the way Cristiano Ronaldo has acted this summer as he seeks to leave Manchester United.
It was made public that Ronaldo was seeking to depart Old Trafford for a second time, just before the United squad were set to return for pre-season training, with the Portuguese not reporting to Carrington or travelling on the pre-season tour due to family reasons. However, United maintained that he wasn't for sale while Erik ten Hag repeatedly stated his excitement about working with the striker.
Ronaldo returned to Carrington last week to hold talks with Ten Hag where he reiterated his desire to leave, but no suitors have come forward yet. The No.7 returned to training and played the first 45 minutes of the friendly with Rayo Vallecano but was criticised by the manager for leaving the stadium early.
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Ronaldo's actions throughout the summer have not sat well with former club captain Neville.
He said on Friday Night Football: "If he’s fit you start him and I hope he stays, I’m a little bit disappointed in him. I’m disappointed, to be fair he’s letting the manager go into those press conferences, Cristiano now is a good age, he’s been the greatest player in the world alongside Messi for the last 10 years. He’s got all the experience in the world, would it be too much to ask him to do an interview to clear things up and what he’s thinking?
"Would that be too much to ask a senior player? Is he not going to do an interview for the next three weeks or after the game on Sunday? We’re going to ask for him, is he going to come up, stand up, do the interview and not let people do the speaking for him. I think that’s the thing that would be a stat. For me, I’m disappointed because the clarity we haven’t got.
"The real is Ten Hag getting jumpy in his press conferences is because he’s probably not telling us the truth of it because he can’t. The reality of it is if a Champions League club comes in for Cristiano Ronaldo I think we know Cristiano Ronaldo wants to take that move. We know that don’t we? It’s emerged over the last few weeks and at the moment no one's coming for him. That’s why the clubs saying they want him to stay but I think if someone came in he would go.
"Should Manchester United be waiting two or three weeks for their star striker to leave? Or should they say you’re not leaving come May, that would be clarity from the club but then there’s a risk that in two weeks' time, Cristiano throws his toys out the pram and says he’s leaving, that sort of thing that can happen. That’s why I feel it’s unpalatable."
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