NBA NBA NBA NBA Jamaica Premier League Jamaica Premier League Jamaica Premier League LaLiga LaLiga LaLiga EPL EPL EPL Champions League Champions League Champions League Windies Windies Super50 Windies Windies Windies ODIs ODIs T20I Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, the Premier League club have confirmed.
Manchester United's owners the Glazer family will explore a sale of the club as part of a process aimed at enhancing the club's future growth.
The club confirmed on Tuesday it is "commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives".
A statement from Manchester United PLC read in part: "The process is designed to enhance the club's future growth, with the ultimate goal of positioning the club to capitalise on opportunities both on the pitch and commercially. "As part of this process, the board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company. "This will include an assessment of several initiatives to strengthen the club, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, and expansion of the club's commercial operations on a global scale, each in the context of enhancing the long-term success of the club's men's, women's and academy teams, and bringing benefits to fans and other stakeholders." United also confirmed The Raine Group, which oversaw the sale of Chelsea by Roman Abramovich, is acting as the company's exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP is legal counsel to the company.
Meanwhile, Rothschild and Co. is the exclusive financial advisor to the Glazer family shareholders.
United fans have long since called for the Glazers to sell, angered by the club's apparent lack of direction and distinct struggles in replicating past glories under Alex Ferguson.
The Red Devils have not won the Premier League since the 2012-13 season and have not won a trophy of any kind since their 2016-17 EFL Cup and Europa League double with Jose Mourinho at the helm.
United also attracted significant ire by initially agreeing to join a breakaway group of major continental clubs aiming to form a European Super League in 2021, with the widespread backlash leading to the plans being scrapped.
The club stressed, however, that Tuesday's announcement does not necessarily mean the end of the Glazer era. "There can be no assurance that the review being undertaken will result in any transaction involving the company.
Manchester United does not intend to make further announcements regarding the review unless and until the board has approved a specific transaction or other course of action requiring a formal announcement," the statement concluded.
Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany joked he would not sign Cristiano Ronaldo as Burnley "need players who can run".
Ronaldo is preparing for the World Cup with Portugal ahead of Thursday's Group H opener against Ghana, though the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will lreturn to club football as a free agent in January.
Manchester United and Ronaldo parted ways by mutual agreement on Tuesday after the forward's exclusive interview with Piers Morgan caused a global stir.
The Portugal captain said he felt "betrayed" by United and had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag before the fractured relationship at Old Trafford came to an abrupt end.
Kompany, now manager of Championship side Burnley, offered a tongue-in-cheek assessment of the situation, suggesting the Clarets would not be interested in signing the 37-year-old.
Asked on the BBC's World Cup coverage whether he would want Ronaldo at Turf Moor, Kompany joked: "We need players who can run." After discussing Ronaldo's future in a jovial manner, Kompany claimed "everybody loses" after an uncomfortable situation at Old Trafford, barring Ten Hag. "I think in the end everybody loses except perhaps the Man United manager," added Kompany, who lifted four Premier League titles with fierce rivals City. "I think it is a problem that has been resolved and they will move on from this." Fellow pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer believes it will be interesting to see what move Ronaldo takes next, with Chelsea reportedly among the favourites. "It is a sad end to his Man United career," Shearer said. "He's got his wish, it is what he did the interview for.
It was inevitable it was going to happen after that. "I think it is going to be really interesting to see if a Champions League club comes in for him.
Maybe Man United aren't that disappointed either, that was never going to be a match, Ten Hag and him." Rio Ferdinand believes both Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United will be delighted after they announced they were parting ways on Tuesday.
The decision comes after Ronaldo's bombshell exclusive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he said he felt betrayed by senior figures at the club and claimed he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
United responded by saying they had "initiated appropriate steps", and on Tuesday revealed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and the club had gone separate ways by mutual agreement.
Ronaldo released a statement of his own saying it was "the right time to seek a new challenge", and Ferdinand, a United legend and former team-mate of Ronaldo, says both sides will be satisfied.
Speaking on the BBC's World Cup coverage, Ferdinand declared: "I think both parties will be delighted now. "He obviously has done that interview with the mindset that he wanted to get out of the football club, [he] wasn't happy, [and] made it very clear. "But I also think Erik ten Hag has got what he wanted from this situation as well.
So both parties are happy." Wayne Rooney, who himself received a swipe from Ronaldo in the interview, agreed it was time for the 37-year-old to depart Old Trafford. "I think it's sad, sad to see one of the best players of all time, a former team-mate and friend go away," Rooney told Sports18. "The club had no option and it has to happen.
It's a shame, I wish him the best for wherever he goes. "I still felt that he had a part to play at United, he wanted to continue his career elsewhere.
It's probably the best for both parties." Nov 20, 2022 Friendlies SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals. (876) 619-7629 digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv source