Manchester United could try to offload Cristiano Ronaldo in January, but one club on the continent have already ruled themselves out of the running to sign the increasingly disruptive striker.
Ronaldo's controversy-laden second spell with United took its latest turn on Wednesday night as the Portuguese – seemingly incensed at being left on the bench again – stormed down the tunnel before full-time as Erik ten Hag's side beat Tottenham 2-0 at Old Trafford. Ten Hag later confirmed that Ronaldo refused to come on.
In the wake of the 37-year-old superstar's super-strop, it's emerged that United may be open to letting Ronaldo – whose contract runs out at the end of the season – leave for free during the next transfer window.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been linked with numerous clubs across Europe and beyond ever since telling United back in July that he wanted to leave, citing a lack of Champions League football among his reasons. Rumours of a switch to Marseille had been doing the rounds – but Ronaldo won't be heading to the south of France: the Ligue 1 giants' president, Pablo Longoria, has made his stance clear.
Speaking to French outlet RMC Sport, Longoria explained how Marseille wouldn't be able to sustainably make such a signing – before appearing to take a swipe at Ronaldo for his midweek antics. He said:
"Football is very clear. You make do with the means you have at your disposal, with a financial balance.
"You have to do everything to get better results, seek to improve the team, but with financial stability. That’s important in 2022. We need a sustainable financial situation.
"We are far from ideas like that [signing Ronaldo], of big stars, individual players. We’re more focused on team players who put in individual performances which serve the team ... We have a project where everyone needs to work for a collective."
It seems pretty obvious what Longoria was referring to with that remark: since returning to United last year, Ronaldo has regularly (and justifiably) been accused of negatively affecting the team.
Ronaldo's attitude might well prevent United from finding a buyer, hence their apparent openness to cutting their losses on a player whose homecoming has been anything but dreamlike.
