Marcus Rashford ‘rejected’ Man Utd captaincy despite Bruno Fernandes admission
Arturo Vidal has criticised Erik ten Hag for his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United and has claimed that the manager’s lack of hair is what makes the ex-Ajax boss ‘complicated’. Ronaldo mutually terminated his contract with the Red Devils in November 2022 after going public with his issues at the club in a blockbuster interview with Piers Morgan.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the helm of United when Ronaldo was re-signed in a deal worth just under £13million, with his homecoming expected to help the club return to its glory days. The Portugal international hit the ground running and scored 18 goals in 30 Premier League appearances in his return season.
However, the Portugal international fell out of favour after Ten Hag was appointed as United boss in 2021. The Dutchman frequently left Ronaldo out of his starting eleven in favour of more high-pressing forwards, prompting backlash behind the scenes.
The ex-Real Madrid hero did not hide his frustration, leaving two matches early after it became clear that he was not set to come on. He then did an honest interview with Morgan which saw Ronaldo effectively talk his way out of the club. After aiming several digs at Ten Hag, the 38-year-old was suspended and then mutually decided to terminate his contract at Old Trafford.
Don’t miss… Man Utd staff ‘questioned’ Erik ten Hag decision with FFP rules wreaking havoc[LATEST]
The decision appeared to be the best for all parties at the time, though former Inter Milan midfielder Vidal does not feel that Ronaldo was treated fairly. Speaking on his Twitch stream, he said: “That coach came at a bad time. How are you going to take down Cristiano Ronaldo?
“That’s what these people are. He’s a scorer and he takes him out. Bald people have complicated feelings.”
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The criticism of Ten Hag may have been more appropriate when Ronaldo’s axing was fresh in the mind, but over 12 months on and with the forward now playing in the Saudi Pro League, Vidal’s remarks have raised eyebrows – especially considering Solskjaer has admitted that bringing him back to the Theatre of Dreams was the wrong call.
He told The Athletic: “It was a decision that was very difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong.
“It felt so right when he signed and the fans felt that at that Newcastle game, when Old Trafford was rocking [after Ronaldo scored twice in a 4-1 win]. He was still one of the best goalscorers in the world, he was looking strong.”
Source: Read Full Article
