Transfer News

GARY NEVILLE has admitted he suffered like Cristiano Ronaldo during the final years of his Manchester United career.Ronaldo, 37, has been out of favour at Old Trafford this season, starting just two of the Red Devils’ 13 Premier League games.
Neville has sympathised with Ronaldo’s current position at Man UtdCredit: Rex
Ronaldo’s position appears to be untenable at Old TraffordCredit: Getty
And his refusal to come on as a substitute during the 2-0 win over Spurs led to manager Erik ten Hag axing him from the squad for their 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the weekend.
It has caused a huge amount of uncertainty surrounding the Portuguese legend’s future at the club.
And while Neville has urged Ronaldo to stop “whining”, he also sympathises with his current position.
The former England right-back, 47, made just 36 Prem appearances during his final four seasons with United.
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And he has revealed the arrival of Brazilian youngster Rafael brought the curtain down on his 19-year career.
Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, he said: “There were moments in my career where I thought, ‘Rafael’s gone in, John O’Shea’s gone in, Wes Brown’s gone in’.
“I watched Brown play a full season and win a Champions League.
“[Brown] He’s a great lad, brilliant player, and I was delighted for him, [but] of course I wanted to be in the team, of course I wanted to be out there and be captain, but I wasn’t.
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“Then Rafael came into training. It was Rafael who actually finished my career mentally, in some ways, because I used to watch him in training, get close to players and snap into tackles, and then get up and get back out there again, and I couldn’t get my legs forward.
“I thought, ‘I get it, I see it’.”
Neville hung up his boots in 2011 after nearly two decades with United.
Rafael, who arrived at Old Trafford alongside twin brother Fabio in 2008, would go on to make 170 appearances for the Premier League giants.
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He eventually left to join Lyon in 2015, before a spell with Istanbul Basaksehir led him to Brazilian club Botafogo – where he is now plying his trade.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will remain at United, with the Real Madrid icon heavily linked with a move away in January.
And Neville feels it is best for everyone involved that Ronaldo leaves Old Trafford.
“I hope he leaves next week so they (Ronaldo and Ten Hag) can shake hands,” he added.
“I hope he leaves next week and says to the club thank you very much and the club says to him thank you very much and then he goes and finds a new club because I’d like to see him go and play until he’s 42 scoring a thousand goals…
“I know it sounds crazy but you can be a better team without players who are just goalscorers, and that’s happened time and time again.
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“Mark Hughes wasn’t the greatest goalscorer in the world but within you’re a better team then with someone you can’t hit or can’t play off.
“Cristiano has just become a natural goalscorer – plays within the width of the box – (but) Erik ten Hag doesn’t want to play that way.”
Brazilian full-back Rafael joined Man Utd alongside twin Fabio in 2008Credit: PA:Press Association More

CRISTIANO RONALDO is open to another Italian job – after being snubbed by a string of Premier League clubs.SunSport understands Napoli remain “interested” in the legendary striker, who is heading for an Old Trafford exit following his behaviour against Spurs last week. 
Napoli are keen on Cristiano Ronaldo, who is open to a second spell in ItalyCredit: Getty
Sources close to the Portuguese star say his advisors have sounded out Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Newcastle and Arsenal.
But the 37-year-old is seen by United’s rivals as too risky. 
And a return to Italy is now on the cards after Ronnie won two titles in three years at Juventus.
A source told SunSport: “Chelsea were interested in Ronaldo over the summer, but he is no longer on their radar. 
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“Arsenal and Newcastle realise the quality he would bring in helping them to achieve their ambitions. 
“But both clubs worry about the wider impact his arrival could have on the clubs. 

“The most likely destination now is Italy. Napoli were interested in Ronaldo over the summer and are still keen. 
“Adding him to their squad is a step they believe will help in their aim to remain top of Serie A and to progress through the Champions League.
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“But it will come down to whether the club can match the eye-watering wage demands.”
Napoli’s current top earner, Poland international Piotr Zielinski, pockets £90k each week.
Ronaldo had been earning £480k-a-week when he returned to United in 2021.
But their failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League saw his salary slashed by 25 per cent.
Ronaldo is now on a weekly wage of £360k at United.
And he could be ready to take another pay cut to force through a move to Naples.
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Meanwhile, United were linked with Napoli forward Victor Osimhen as a replacement for Ronaldo in the summer.
He is valued at over £100million after scoring his fifth goal of the season in last night’s 1-0 win at Roma.
SunSport’s story comes after Ronaldo refused to come off the bench against Spurs before storming down the tunnel. 
Boss Erik ten Hag confirmed he’d walked off, a move which saw him dropped from the first-team squad.
Ronaldo played no part in United’s draw at Chelsea on Saturday and was made to train alone.
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His stance has been fully supported by the club’s hierarchy.
But the incident was not the first time Ronaldo left a match early, departing United’s pre-season friendly with Rayo Vallecano at half-time after being substituted. More

PIERS MORGAN threw his support behind pal Cristiano Ronaldo amid his Manchester United crisis. And he insists the Portuguese forward turned down £115million to play in Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United future is in major doubtCredit: AFP
Piers Morgan has defended the Portuguese star publiclyCredit: Twitter
Ronaldo, 37, has come under heavy criticism in recent months for trying to force through a transfer exit from Old Trafford.
But after staying put in Manchester, he put his future at the club into question again by refusing to come on as a late substitute against Tottenham – then leaving the stadium before full-time.
After being banned and fined, SunSport revealed he has no allies left at the club and may not play in a United shirt ever again.
The Red Devils could be open to allowing Ronaldo to leave in January.
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However, one of the doubts has been whether they could find a buyer after he failed to secure a summer switch.
But SunSport columnist Morgan refuted those suggestions – claiming Ronaldo had an offer from the Middle East, but rejected it.
He tweeted: “More lies leaked by United management to damage him…
“@Cristiano received an offer of 130m euros to play for one season in Saudi but turned it down.
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“Ten Hag trying to lecture Cristiano on standards and values when he’s deliberately humiliating him… what a joke.
“One is the greatest footballer of all time and a champion in 4 countries… the other was a c**p player and as a manager, has barely won a conker fight outside of Holland.”
Earlier this week, he wrote: “I think the collective disrespect towards Cristiano from his manager and many Utd fans after all he’s done for your club, not least last season, is shameful. There’s my opinion.”
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Juventus were among the Champions League sides who decided not to pursue a transfer.
Meanwhile, Saudi club Al-Hilal claimed their mega-money move for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner only fell through because of a transfer ban.
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Chelsea are being linked with a renewed swoop for Ronaldo in January.
However, should United take Gary Neville’s advice and rip up the No7’s contract early to get him out of the club, it would cost them £10m. More

ERIK TEN HAG refused to confirm whether Manchester United will offer David de Gea a new contract.The Spaniard, 31, joined the Red Devils from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and recently celebrated 500 appearances for the club.
Erik ten Hag has not confirmed whether or not Devid de Gea will be handed a new contractCredit: Getty
De Gea has been with Man Utd for more than a decadeCredit: Rex
But his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, leading to uncertainty surrounding his future.
And Ten Hag is not being drawn on what their plans are for De Gea – who is on a huge £375,000 a week.
Speaking after the draw with Chelsea, the United boss said: “We didn’t make a decision on him but what I can say is that I am really happy with David de Gea as a keeper.
“His first two performances of the season were not his best performances but after you see he brings us a lot for the defensive department, gives stability.
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“And, as a person, I like him, I can really cooperate with him really well but first we go to the winter and then we will talk about how deal with such situations.
“In this moment we only think about perfoming, we have a lot of games to go, so I don’t want to get that interfered by talks.
“We have to focus on football and performances, not on negotiating. That’s what we have to do now.”
De Gea has started all 13 of Man Utd’s games so far this season.
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Ten Hag’s back-up shot-stoppers are Martin Dubravka and Tom Heaton.
Dean Henderson is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest and, back in August, slammed United for failing to keep their promise of making him No1 last season.
His comments would appear to make a return to Old Trafford unlikely.
United are being with other keepers including Porto star Diogo Costa and Atletico Madrid man Jan Oblak. More