'Get him out!' – Erik ten Hag told he must get rid of Manchester United star

Erik ten Hag was wrong to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United last summer and must ‘get rid’ of the 37-year-old in January.

Manchester United news, exclusives and analysis

That’s according to former Liverpool ace Danny Murphy, who says the forward has become a distraction for United’s squad at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo requested to leave the club last summer and was absent from United’s pre-season tour of Australia and Thailand.

However, Ten Hag and United’s board rejected Ronaldo’s request and the club spent around £220m on other areas of the squad, instead of signing a new centre forward.

Ronaldo reluctantly accepted United’s decision but his unhappiness has deepened since the summer.

The forward’s started just one Premier League match so far this term, which came in a 4-0 defeat to Brentford.

His only goal came from the penalty spot in a win against Sheriff and he was left on the bench during a 6-3 humiliation against Manchester City.

Ten Hag has rejected claims Ronaldo will be sold in January but Murphy says the club must get rid of him or he will continue to overshadow their campaign.

‘By having him stay merely to sit on the bench or feature in the Europa League, it’s akin to having your cake and eating it. It cannot be a harmonious atmosphere when Ronaldo is in the line of substitutes,’ Murphy told the Daily Mail.

‘Those pictures of him and Casemiro sitting together against Manchester City, shaking their heads in disbelief, gives off the worst impression for the club.

‘I’m not saying Ronaldo has thrown his toys out of the pram but his mere presence as a sidelined player cannot be good for the group. 

‘When the January transfer window opens there is no point in keeping Ronaldo because the existing issues are only going to get worse. He won’t be a mainstay in Ten Hag’s team and the longer he is left hanging around, unhappy, the more problematic it will be for everyone.

‘A senior player can provoke little moments in a squad if they are moody or edgy. It gets to the stage where it is a relief to the other lads when they’ve gone.

‘The focus is always on Ronaldo. The cameras are trained on him in every game, seeing what his reaction is like. It brings heat to the whole situation. It puts added pressure on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial when they play ahead of a multiple Ballon d’or winner.

‘Ronaldo scored 23 goals in a struggling team last season. At 37, he wants to play. I feel frustrated on his behalf. He has every right to be angry.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Source: Read Full Article