Cristiano Ronaldo has almost certainly played his last game for Manchester United after launching a withering attack on the club during his interview with Piers Morgan.
Old Trafford chiefs were forced to hold extraordinary talks on Monday in response to Ronaldo's comments, which were teased on social media on Sunday night ahead of the full interview's release on Wednesday and Thursday. The striker, 37, confessed there is no respect between him and Erik ten Hag and accused the Red Devils of betraying him.
Ronaldo also took aim at a number of former teammates who have criticised him, including Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville. However, it is his stinging remarks about the club and manager Ten Hag which will have the most serious repercussions.
Here, Mirror Football takes a look at what we know about Monday's crunch talks and what could happen next.
Celebrations curtailed
United players should have been celebrating a late, Alejandro Garnacho-inspired victory over Fulham when Morgan began to tweet extracts from the interview.
Ronaldo missed the trip to Craven Cottage and Thursday's EFL Cup tie with Aston Villa with what Ten Hag described as an illness but, not for the first time this season, managed to fix the spotlight firmly on himself. ESPN reports senior United players were left fuming by the timing of the release of segments of the interview, which prompted a swift response from club chiefs.
Holiday havoc
Ten Hag, who has butted heads with Ronaldo on numerous occasions in his short Old Trafford tenure, delayed the start of his family holiday to hold a meeting with various other members of the club hierarchy on Monday.
The Dutchman spoke with co-chairman Joel Glazer, chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough to discuss a response, although they will wait for the full release of the interview before taking action. Meanwhile, on Monday afternoon, the club released a statement which read: "Manchester United notes the media coverage regarding an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo.
"The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established. Our focus remains on preparing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and togetherness being built among the players, manager, staff and fans."
The end of the statement could be interpreted as implying Ronaldo detracts from the unity in the Red Devils dressing room. He has already been reprimanded twice this season after leaving Old Trafford early following the friendly with Rayo Vallecano and repeating the trick against Tottenham, having refused to come on as a substitute.
Talks between United chiefs are ongoing but Ten Hag has concluded that there can be no way back for Ronaldo. As well as waiting for the full interview to air, the Daily Telegraph notes that United chiefs are relieved to have the World Cup-enforced midseason break to consider their response.
Sack speculation
The most severe punishment United can take would be sacking Ronaldo.
The club have already contacted their lawyers and are willing to pursue this course of action if the player breached disciplinary rules to such an extent that he can be fired under employment law. The indications are that United want to come down on Ronaldo hard for his latest outburst as they wholeheartedly reject his comments about Ten Hag and his treatment by the club, which can only be viewed as undermining in the extreme.
As mentioned, Red Devils chiefs will only make a decision on how to sanction Ronaldo once they have viewed the interview in full. In the meantime, Ronaldo has joined up with Portugal for the World Cup and appeared to receive a frosty reception in the dressing room from United teammate Bruno Fernandes, although subsequent reports insisted there is no problem between the pair.
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Termination trouble
Given the overriding sense that Ronaldo will never play for United again, Old Trafford officials could decide to try and strike a termination agreement, should they choose not to sack him.
There are seven months remaining on his £560,000-per-week contract and there is no chance the club will take up their option to extend for another season. United would be happy to allow Ronaldo to walk away but fear the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward will demand he is paid the remaining months of his contract.
The Red Devils have no intention of doing this, while suitors who could take the player off their hands in January are few and far between. The difficulties of offloading a player of Ronaldo's status go some distance to explaining why United have taken no decisive action as of yet - and it may be some days before they do so.
