Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says the club are now ‘looking to the future’ after Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious departure from Old Trafford.
The 37-year-old mutually agreed to terminate his contract last month after he gave a controversial interview to Piers Morgan, in which he said he had ‘no respect’ for Ten Hag and criticised the Glazer family for ‘not caring’ about the sporting side of the club.
Ten Hag disciplined Ronaldo for failing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham in October and fined the veteran two weeks’ wages.
Ronaldo then missed the club’s final two fixtures before the World Cup and his interview with Morgan was released just hours after a huge win against Fulham at Craven Cottage, which came in the final moments with an injury time winner from Alejandro Garnacho.
United took legal advice before deciding how to deal with Ronaldo and it was then decided that his contract should be terminated, with the striker not given any financial compensation.
And, speaking for the first time on Ronaldo’s exit at a training camp in Spain, Ten Hag says the club are now looking forward to the future without the striker.
‘He’s gone and it’s the past,’ said Ten Hag.
‘We are now looking forward and we’re looking to the future.’
United will consider signing a striker in the January transfer window after Ronaldo’s departure.
Speaking earlier in the interview, Ten Hag said it’s important to find the right characters, as well as players of the right ability.
‘We looked and with football players clearly that is the first thing, the capabilities a player has,’ said the Dutchman.
‘The human being behind is also an important factor, but you can’t underestimate that. You need the right characters in your dressing room, not only if you want to win a game but if you want to win trophies.’
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