Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Rio Ferdinand calls out ‘disrespectful’ Man Utd fans over treatment of ‘frustrated’ Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo with outstretched arms in the rain

Rio Ferdinand has hit out at some Manchester United supporters for being “disrespectful” towards Cristiano Ronaldo after the Red Devils legend failed to report back for pre-season training this week.

Ronaldo has decided that he wants to quit Old Trafford a year into his two-year contract after the club’s failure to qualify for the Champions League last term.

The 37-year-old was due to begin pre-season training with the rest of his teammates on Monday. However, he remained in Portugal due to ‘family reasons’.

Some United fans have subsequently accused Ronaldo of trying engineer his own exit. But Ferdinand insists his old teammate’s reasons for wanting out should be respected.

“I’ve been seeing people being a touch disrespectful,” Ferdinand told Vibe With Five.

“The way that people are questioning ‘he’s not here’ and the hysteria surrounding it. A member of his family is not well, so he’s not at training.

“This is the most consummate, most professional athlete that we’ve seen on these shores. The most professional athlete we’ve seen for over 15 years and people are questioning this guy’s professionalism and why he’s not at the training ground.

“Yeah he might want to leave, he might not be happy with certain things at the football club, but in terms of professionalism, this guy is training where he is – we’ve seen the pictures. His family are there, he needs to be where they are and you have to respect that. Simple as. Could it have been communicated better by the club? Probably.’

Ferdinand also claims that it’s no massive surprise that the attacker is happy after the club’s worst-ever Premier League campaign.

“Of course he’s not happy,” Ferdinand added.

Europa League not for Ronaldo

“You’re talking about Cristiano Ronaldo here! I don’t understand how it’s a big story that Cristiano Ronaldo is not happy with the way things are at Man United. He can’t be. I wouldn’t be.

Cristiano Ronaldo looks dejected during the English FA Cup fourth round match between Manchester United and Middlesbrough

“Anyone who wants to win football matches or trophies, anyone who is used to winning and competing every year at the top of the table for the biggest prizes, and then all of a sudden isn’t, and doesn’t even qualify for the Champions League, you can’t sit here and expect them to be happy.

“He’s not happy with missing out on the Champions League, he doesn’t even know what the Europa League soundtrack sounds like. When that comes on, he’s going to be thinking, ‘what dance am I in here?’.

“He will be sitting there on his sun lounger, on his yacht, on his jet. Wherever he is in the world and seeing Man City signing Haaland. Seeing Liverpool signing [Darwin] Nunez among other players. [Kalvin] Phillips has gone to City as well.

“He’ll be sitting there thinking, ‘we had work to do to catch these guys anyway before these big signings and now they’re jumping even further away from us’

United slow in the transfer market

“Arsenal are making moves, he’ll be thinking, ‘when is my team going to start making moves?’. We all know we need some new faces in that building. He hasn’t seen any movement.

“I understand the frustrations. I definitely would be frustrated. As a player was on to the manager, on to David Gill [asking] who are we signing? That’s the way I was.

“I’m sure that’s what Cristiano is like and other players will be like that as well. He’s the biggest name but he won’t be the only one who’s disgruntled with the way things are.

“We’re slow out of the blocks in the transfer market. There will have been work going on behind the scenes at Man United but we’re all human, we’re all impatient and we all want it done.”

READ MORE: Man Utd find Lisandro Martinez alternative as Red Devils register interest in Jean-Clair Todibo