Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo refused to enter Wednesday's 2-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur as a substitute before walking down the tunnel in the match's final minutes.

Ten Hag added he'd already given Ronaldo a warning about his behavior after a similar incident during a preseason match against Rayo Vallecano when he entered the locker room early, saying a coach must establish a "top sport culture."

"We are a team, and in the team, we have values and standards, and I have to control that," Ten Hag told reporters. "After Rayo Vallecano, I told [him] it was unacceptable, but he was not the only one, but that is for everyone, so when it's the second time, there will be consequences. I sent a warning at the start of the season, next time there has to be consequences. Football is a team sport, and you have to fulfill certain standards. And I have to control it."

United announced Thursday that Ronaldo won't be part of Saturday's matchday squad to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as a result of his midweek actions.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner posted a statement on Instagram, saying "sometimes the heat of the moment gets the best of us:"

Ronaldo on Instagram #mufc pic.twitter.com/Fui1b1b74o

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) October 20, 2022

Ten Hag said Ronaldo is expected to rejoin the squad Monday ahead of a Europa League clash with Moldovan side FC Sheriff on Thursday.

"We will miss him tomorrow," the United boss said Friday. "It's a miss for the squad, but it's important for the attitude and mentality of the group, and now we have to focus on Chelsea as that is important. He remains an important part of the squad."

The 37-year-old Portuguese legend has tallied two goals and one assist across 12 appearances (six starts) for United this season.

His displeasure comes after a summer when he sought a transfer to a Champions League club that never materialized.

Pete Hall of iNews reported Thursday the Red Devils are now considering whether to release the forward if no deal can be found in January during the winter transfer window.

Ronaldo rejoined United in August 2021 after previously emerging as one of the world's most dynamic attackers during his first stint with the Premier League club from 2003 through 2009. He's also played for Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus.

He's expected to feature prominently for Portugal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup starting next month in Qatar despite his limited involvement for United so far this term.

How he performs on the international stage could help determine whether there's significant transfer interest from marquee clubs come January.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not play in Manchester United's upcoming game against Chelsea on Saturday after leaving before the final whistle in the last match, according to Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic.

Whitwell added Ronaldo won't be allowed to even train with the first team during the week.

"Cristiano will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s game against Chelsea," the club said in a statement. "The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture."

Ronaldo posted his response on Instagram:

Ronaldo on Instagram #mufc pic.twitter.com/Fui1b1b74o

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) October 20, 2022

The forward went into the locker room before the end of Wednesday's 2-0 win over Tottenham:

Cristiano Ronaldo went to the tunnel before the game ended against Tottenham 😬

(via @TelemundoSports)pic.twitter.com/nYwKlpKiSd

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 19, 2022

According to Whitwell, he had refused to come on as a substitute late in the match.

Manager Erik ten Hag said after the match the situation would be handled at a later time.

"I don't pay attention [to that] today; we will deal with that tomorrow," Ten Hag said Wednesday. "The focus today was on a magnificent performance from all the 11 players. ... We deal with that [Ronaldo] tomorrow. What we see today is 11 players who defend and 11 who attack."

Ronaldo had a similar incident with a freindly in August when he left the stadium early, which ten Hag called "unacceptable."

The 37-year-old had sought a transfer during the summer and will reportedly try to move again in January when the window reopens, per Rob Dawson of ESPN.

Ronaldo has appeared in eight of Manchester United's 10 league matches this season, but he's made just two starts and ranks 15th on the team with 345 total minutes. After scoring 18 Premier League goals a year ago, he has just one goal in 2022-23 with zero assists.

Manchester United have instead found success with new addition Antony in the attack alongside Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. After a slow start, the squad sits fifth in the EPL table, one point behind Chelsea for a position in next year's Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn't start or play for Manchester United in the club's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, made headlines when he walked down the tunnel into the locker room before the final whistle blew.

Cristiano Ronaldo went to the tunnel before the game ended against Tottenham 😬

(via @TelemundoSports)pic.twitter.com/nYwKlpKiSd

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 19, 2022

Manager Erik Ten Hag said it was a situation that would be addressed.

"I don't pay attention [to that] today, we will deal with that tomorrow," he told reporters. "The focus today was on a magnificent performance from all the 11 players. I have to correct myself, not just 11 players but the substitutes who came on, it was a squad performance. We deal with that [Ronaldo] tomorrow. What we see today is 11 players who defend and 11 who attack."

Ronaldo's actions became a primary storyline in what should have been a jubilant evening for a United side that moved just one point behind fourth-place Chelsea after the Blues posted a disappointing scoreless draw against Brentford.

United and Chelsea will face off on Saturday. If the aftermath of Ronaldo's actions on Wednesday were any indication, his situation will remain a talking point until that match:

What should Erik Ten Hag do about Ronaldo walking off before the match ended? #MUNTOT | #MUFC pic.twitter.com/DOPApy7UVz

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) October 19, 2022

"I'm sorry, but that is unacceptable from Ronaldo" 😡@GaryLineker and @MicahRichards weren't impressed with Man United's number 7 walking off before FT.#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/1xNBgNWQmD

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 19, 2022

🗣️ "He clearly thinks he is bigger than the football club."

The Soccer Special panel react to Cristiano Ronaldo walking down the tunnel before full time 👀 pic.twitter.com/XiEuKp4nws

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo is embarrassing and don’t even bother coming at me.

The greatest performance of Erik ten Hag’s reign so far and he tries to make it about himself because United played levels better without trying to accommodate him. Again.

Just becoming sad at this point…

— Alex Turk (@AlexCTurk) October 19, 2022

Ronaldo walks off down the tunnel.... I blame the Glazers. They've created this mess by not letting him go when Ten Hag said it was ok

— Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) October 19, 2022

Ten Hag wanted him to go
Ronaldo wanted to go
Glazers said no
This was inevitable when you leave a power struggle between two strong characters with different ideas.
Weak leadership from the top again to save money
Ronaldo walking off is unacceptable though https://t.co/eNg4IvUWA2

— Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) October 19, 2022

Ronaldo being a relentlessly bad teammate has traditionally been explained as him being all about winning/high standards etc.

His decline phase has hammered home that he's actually all about being the reason why his team wins.

In his prime that wasn't a problem. Now it is

— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) October 19, 2022

Ronaldo has been making headlines for the wrong reasons all season long after trying unsuccessfully to force a move away from Manchester United during the summer in an effort to get to a club playing Champions League football this season.

This week alone, he already raised eyebrows after being visibly unhappy with being subbed off in Sunday's scoreless draw against Newcastle in the 72nd minute.

Ten Hag defended that decision.

"We have to recover," he told reporters. "Four games in 10 days and especially for the strikers, I want to keep them fresh. I want to keep them all fresh, we have to rotate because of some problems we have. [Anthony] Martial is not available in this moment, then Rashy [Marcus Rashford] was not well, so he did not have energy for the whole game. We had to plan to cover for the four games because we want to win or at least get a result in all four games."

Ten Hag also acknowledged that the 37-year-old Ronaldo wasn't happy earlier in October when he didn't play at all in a 6-3 loss to Manchester City.

"Of course, he wants to play, and he's annoyed when he's not playing," he told reporters. "It's clear."

"He's really competitive, as we all know. He's not happy, of course, when he's not playing," Ten Hag added. "But I already said and, I have to repeat, he's training well, he has a good mood, he's motivated, and he gives his best. That is what we expect."

If Ronaldo's end game is to keep his name in the headlines and to cause drama around the club to force a move in January, he's at least succeeding in the first part of his plan.

Whether another club will be willing to pay his huge wages, regularly start a player who is still a solid poacher but offers little in the way of pressing off the ball—a style of play more and more clubs have gravitated toward in the modern game—and is always a threat to cause drama and unrest if he's unhappy is another question entirely.

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood was arrested on Saturday after allegedly breaching bail conditions. Later in the day, it was announced he has been charged with three offences.

Per a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service, Greenwood has been charged with attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

BREAKING | Man Utd footballer Mason Greenwood has been charged with attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Statement below: pic.twitter.com/xLp5BoLD8A

— Gareth Davies (@GD10) October 15, 2022

Greater Manchester Police announced Greenwood had been arrested on Saturday morning following an allegation he breached his bail condition stemming from an arrest earlier this year.

"Enquiries are ongoing at this time," the spokesman added.

Per Gareth Davies of The Telegraph, Greenwood was originally arrested on Jan. 30 on suspicion of rape and assault stemming from allegations made by a woman.

The woman posted a series of photographs on social media that appeared to show her with injuries, including bruising on her legs and arms and a bloody lip. Audio recordings were also posted online where the voice of a woman can be heard telling a man called Mason that she doesn't want to have sex with him.

"When the woman says 'I don't want to have sex,' the man says he 'doesn't care' and, when told to stop again, he says: 'I asked you politely, and you wouldn't do it, so what else do you want me to do?'" Davies wrote. "He can then be heard saying: 'Push me again one more time and watch what happens to you.'"

Greenwood was further arrested on Feb. 1 on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill. He was released on bail the following day. His bail has been extended twice, most recently in June.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, Greenwood will have a court appearance on Monday at Greater Manchester magistrates' court.

Manchester United suspended Greenwood following his January arrest. His last appearance for the club was a Jan. 22 Premier League match against West Ham.

Perhaps making Kylian Mbappé the highest-paid player in the world was what it required for Paris Saint-Germain to re-sign him this past summer.

Forbes' Justin Birnbaum reported Friday the French forward makes $110 million annually from his salary and another $18 million in off-field endorsements. Mbappé's $128 million in overall earnings narrowly surpasses that of PSG teammate Lionel Messi, who hauls in $120 million.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo ($100 million), PSG's Neymar ($87 million) and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah ($53 million) round out the top five.

The saga around Mbappé's future was one of the biggest stories in world football ahead of the 2022-23 season.

The 23-year-old was nearing the end of his contract and was thus free to sign with any other club. The Athletic's David Ornstein reported on May 16 Mbappé agreed to personal terms on a deal with Real Madrid, but he wound up staying in the French capital.

In addition to the €250 million Mbappé will earn over three years, the Guardian's Adam White noted he was "expected to take a meaningful role in PSG’s wider decision-making." The player has denied he'll wield more influence behind the scenes.

Still, the fact Mbappé is already making this much at a relatively early stage of his career points to both his success on the pitch already and how he's poised to break the bank even more when his current contract runs down.

The same goes for Haaland, who's poised to compete with Mbappé for the top individual honors every season in the same way Messi and Ronaldo have been inextricably linked throughout their careers.

The Manchester City striker is a veritable bargain with a $35 million salary. He already has 14 goals in eight Premier League appearances and another five goals in three Champions League appearances through his first season in England.

Haaland's scoring is reaching almost comical proportions. He'll be looking for his fourth straight Premier League hat trick this weekend against Southampton.

Considering City manager Pep Guardiola is already having to deny rumors linking Haaland with Real Madrid, it won't be too long before the Norway international is rewarded with a new deal, one that might lift him up the ranking of the highest earners in the world.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Wednesday that Cristiano Ronaldo is "pissed off" when he doesn't play but denied having any wider issues with the Portuguese star.

"I don't bring him on out of respect, it's nothing to do with what's happening for the future or January or next year," Ten Hag told reporters. "I don't see he's unhappy, he's happy, he's training well, he's enjoying it. Everyone is training well, there's a good spirit.

"He's not happy that he wasn't playing on Sunday, but that wasn't the question. The question was about his mood when he's around and he's happy. Of course, he wants to play, he's pissed off when he's not playing."

Ronaldo was notable by his absence in United's recent 6-3 defeat to Manchester City, with Ten Hag omitting him from the starting lineup and then not electing to use him off the bench.

Addressing the situation after the match, Ten Hag said he didn't insert Ronaldo into the contest "out of respect for his big career." The comment came off as a bit patronizing and might have done more harm than good, even if the manager's decision was justified.

I get his point to be honest . Bringing him on at 4-0 and 6-1 would have been an insult . ETH may not have delivered the line correctly and probably would have been best not saying it. ( although I like his honesty ) https://t.co/06sP310tWF

— Gary Neville (@GNev2) October 2, 2022

This all comes against the backdrop of a reunion that has turned sour.

Ronaldo reportedly pushed to leave Manchester United in the summer, only one season after he returned to Old Trafford. The failure of a transfer to materialize is a reflection of how far the 37-year-old's stock as fallen.

Ronaldo's 18 goals in the Premier League were the highest for the Red Devils in 2021-22, yet his presence might be a net negative overall because of how limited his game has become. He doesn't do much as a facilitator, and his defensive contributions are negligible.

Prior to Ronaldo rejoining the club where he previously spent six seasons from 2003 to 2009, United finished second in the Premier League, albeit in a down year for most top clubs besides champions Manchester City. In his first season back with the club, they finished sixth.

Across all competitions to open the current campaign, Ronaldo has one goal in eight appearances.

The recent discourse, though, is a testament to how benching the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is easier said than done, even if it's the best call for Ten Hag.

Taking the Dutchman at his word for now, will Ronaldo remain happy if he's continually coming on as a sub or not playing altogether in United's biggest matches?

Ronaldo's contract runs through next June. Until then, Ten Hag will have to balance a delicate dynamic.

Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly once again seek a departure from Manchester United during the January transfer window if he remains out of the Red Devils' starting XI.

ESPN's Rob Dawson reported Tuesday that Ronaldo, who unsuccessfully tried to secure a move to a Champions League club over the summer, is "desperate to make the most of his last years at the top" after falling behind Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial at United.

Questions were raised about how Ronaldo would respond after being unable to leave Old Trafford ahead of the 2022-23 season, but sources told Dawson the superstar's "attitude to training and games has been exemplary" early in the term.

Yet, it's far from an ideal situation for the 37-year-old forward to spend most of his time on the United bench at this latter stage of his storied career.

Only one of Ronaldo's six Premier League appearances this season was a start, and that came back on Aug. 13 against Brentford in a humiliating 4-0 loss for the team. His only goal of the club campaign came in the Europa League against Sheriff Tiraspol in a 2-0 win on Sept. 15.

So, while it's not a surprise he'd prefer a move to a side where he'd be more involved, United may once again hold firm in its desire to keep him as depth.

Manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly "reluctant to let him leave in January" because the club isn't expected to have transfer funds to sign a replacement until next summer.

The amount of interest in Ronaldo come January will likely depend heavily on his performance with Portugal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he'll take on a far more important role than he's played for United as of late.

Last month, the Seleção captain said he planned to continue playing international football for the foreseeable future.

"I hope to be part of the Federation for a few more years," Ronaldo told reporters. "I still feel motivated; my ambition is high. I'm in a team with young people. I want to be part of this World Cup and the [2024] European too; I'm going to assume that right away."

A strong showing in Qatar could lead to offers from some UCL sides looking to bolster their attacking groups for the season's second half, especially with a condensed schedule due to the in-season World Cup, but it would still be up to United whether to make a deal.

So far, there's no indication Ten Hag is ready to move on from the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Cristiano Ronaldo plans to continue his international career with Portugal beyond the 2022 World Cup.

"It has been a long road, but I would like to say that my road is not over yet," Ronaldo said Tuesday, per Adriana Garcia of ESPN.

The 37-year-old is the all-time men's leading scorer in international play, tallying 117 goals in 189 appearances. He helped the team win the European championship in 2016 and plans to play again at Euro 2024.

"I hope to be part of the Federation for a few more years," he added. "I still feel motivated; my ambition is high. I'm in a team with young people. I want to be part of this World Cup and the European too; I'm going to assume that right away."

Ronaldo is one of the most accomplished athletes of all time with five Champions League titles and five Ballon d'Or honors, although he has certainly slowed down over the past year.

The veteran now comes off the bench for Manchester United and has no goals or assists through six league matches (one start).

Despite his struggles at the club level, Ronaldo remains invaluable for Portugal. The forward led the squad to the 2019 UEFA Nations League title, and he started nine of 10 matches during World Cup qualifying, scoring a team-high six goals.

The squad now heads to Qatar as part of Group H along with Uruguay, Ghana and Korea Republic.

No matter what happens, Ronaldo plans to be back with the team during the next international break preparing for Euro 2024 qualifying, which is set to begin in March 2023.

With a 3-1 victory over first-place Arsenal on Sunday, Manchester United has climbed to fifth in the Premier League table with a 4-0-2 record, but Erik ten Hag believes his club still isn't close to competing with the EPL's best.

"We're at the start of a process, we're still far away," Ten Hag said at a news conference. "We have to start doing things much better than we do, that's an investment. We have to get better if you want to win trophies in the end."

Manchester United newcomer Antony, who was signed from Ajax for €100 million, put the Red Devils up 1-0 with a goal in the 35th minute of Sunday's game, his debut, but Arsenal was able to respond early in the second half when Bukayo Saka found the back of the net in the 60th minute.

United upped the pressure following Saka's game-tying goal, and Marcus Rashford gave the Red Devils a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute before tallying his second goal of the match to put his club up 3-1.

Rashford told reporters after the match that Manchester United should be proud of how well it played against one of the Premier League's top-ranked clubs:

"The fact they've had such a good start to the season meant it was a big test for us today. We showed up and we stood up to the challenge. We can all be proud of ourselves today."

Manchester United had a tough start to the 2022-23 season with a 2-1 loss to Brighton followed by a 4-0 loss to Brentford.

With pressure to perform better increasing, Ten Hag made the decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo and club captain Harry Maguire from the starting lineup against Liverpool on Aug. 22.

Raphael Varane started in place of Maguire, while Rashford, Anthony Elanga and Jadon Sancho became more favorable in the place of Ronaldo.

The Red Devils went on to defeat Liverpool 2-1 for their first win of the season as Ten Hag's changes to the starting XI made a huge difference. The club has gone on to defeat Southampton, Leicester City and Arsenal.

Manchester United begin group play in the Europa League on Thursday against Real Sociedad and will face Crystal Palace in Premier League action on Sunday. A significant challenge for the club will come on Oct. 2 when it faces Erling Haaland and Manchester City.

Considering Ten Hag is finding success with Ronaldo and Maguire on the bench, it's reasonable to believe they will remain there for the foreseeable future.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Wednesday it's "clear" that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain with the club until at least January, per Rob Dawson of ESPN.

The summer transfer window closes on Thursday.

Ronaldo has started just once in four Premier League matches to start the 2022-23 season, failing to tally any goals or assists in 153 total minutes. The 37-year-old scored 18 league goals with three assists last season in 30 appearances (27 starts).

With a resume that includes five Ballon d'Or awards and five Champions League titles, Ronaldo was reportedly seeking to leave Manchester United throughout the summer in search of a return to the Champions League, per Dawson. Manchester United is set to compete in the second-tier Europa League this year after finishing sixth in the Premier League.

Despite links to Chelsea, Juventus and Atletico Madrid, there was limited interest in a transfer for the superstar.

Ronaldo has now become a bench player for Manchester United, which has won back-to-back matches against Liverpool and Southampton. Even with a changing role, ten Hag said the forward can remain productive.

"I think he can," the manager said after the win over Liverpool. "The whole of his career under several managers he did, several styles and systems. He always performed, so why can't he do this?"

With Manchester United adding another attacker in Antony, playing time could be even harder to come by for Ronaldo.