'He knew the consequences': Ten Hag's detailed response to Ronaldo interview and United exit revealed

Erik ten Hag has finally opened up on his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo lambasting him in the Piers Morgan interview and his subsequent departure from Man United.

He told MEN: “I think it was quite clear after [the interview] that he had to leave. I think we didn’t have to discuss it. It was quite clear. Richard [Arnold], John [Murtough], me.

“Yes [I watched the interview]. Not all of it. I have seen most of it. I have to do it. It is part of my job to do it. I went to Uefa (for the coaches' convention) when it came out.

“I think the club can only be successful when all the decision-makers in the club are on one page and they back each other. That is the only way the club can be successful and operate.

“I wanted him to stay from the first moment until now. He wanted to leave, it was quite clear. And when a player definitely doesn’t want to be in this club then he has to go, clear.

“The interview I think, as a club, you can’t accept. There will be consequences. To make that step he knew the consequences. Before he never told me [he wanted to leave]. During the season there was no window but until that moment he never told me ‘I want to leave’. You (gestures to suggest everyone knew Ronaldo wanted out) don’t have to see it.

“In the summer, we had one talk. He came in and said ‘I will tell you in seven days if I want to stay’. Then he came back and said ‘I want to stay’. Until that moment (the interview), I never heard anything.

“As you said, it is the past. We are looking to the future. Move on. I want to go to the future. We want a new future of Manchester United and he didn’t want to be part of it. We move on. When he is in good shape, he is a good player and he could help us to get back and achieve the objectives we have. That is quite clear. But he wasn’t.”

Ten Hag has given a very smart response to Ronaldo without being overly aggressive or explicit. The Dutchman will now have to find a replacement for the Portuguese forward, one he’ll hope to get in the January transfer window.

Source: MEN