Piers Morgan believes that Cristiano Ronaldo was the sole reason Manchester United did not battle relegation last season amid rumours he wants to leave the club.
It has been reported that the 37-year-old is unhappy he will not be playing in the Champions League next season, with United only qualifying for the Europa League - a competition he has never played in. Now, Ronaldo is seeking a new adventure and hopes to depart the Red Devils if they receive a satisfactory offer in the transfer window.
The Portugal international grabbed 24 goals in 38 games last season including 18 in the Premier League - the third-highest scorer in the division. Ronaldo only made a fairytale return to Old Trafford last summer following successful spells at Real Madrid and Juventus, and has since been linked with a move to Chelsea, Napoli and Bayern Munich.
United finished with their lowest Premier League points tally last term, having accumulated just 58 points from their 38 matches. It proved to be a rather disastrous campaign for the Red Devils and Morgan has insisted he does not think the blame should be lying with Ronaldo, claiming the other players were 'unmotivated' and 'ineffectual'.
He told The Sun : "He wasn’t the 'problem' - he was the only thing stopping United from battling relegation. The real problem was the shockingly unmotivated collection of ineffectual, mentally weak wastrels around him.
"Why should Ronaldo waste another second of his phenomenally valuable time and talent trying to elevate a bunch of over-paid, pampered, prima donna spoiled brats to his level when so many of them just aren’t interested?
Where will Cristiano Ronaldo be playing his club football next season? Let us know in the comments below!
"It may beggar belief that United’s younger players wouldn’t hang on his every word given his astonishing success and experience, in the way that he used to with older players like Roy Keane when he was a teenager at the club.
"But many of them don’t. They’re too rich, too arrogant, too stupid, too lacking in humility and self-awareness, to tap the brain of the GOAT of their sport, despite possessing trophy cabinets so empty even spiders don’t go inside for fear of getting lonely."
Ronaldo is eyeing his next move with ambitions to win the Champions League again before he retires whilst United are adamant he is not for sale. However, ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes the club should sell Ronaldo - even if they don't have a replacement.
Hasselbaink said: "You do not want an unhappy player - especially a player of that calibre. You want him to be happy. If you are going to work with Ronaldo you know that you are going to build your team around him.
"But if he is not happy, on the amount of money that you pay, maybe use that for some other players and use it within the squad. You are not going to be able to replace him but you can make the team better in different places.
"I think if Ronaldo wants to go, then you let him go. He is at an age where maybe he can play one more year in the Champions League. So try and get as much money for him, sell him and try to build a squad and make the team stronger."
