Manchester United teammates have reportedly grown tired of Cristiano Ronaldo's behaviour, and the iconic striker is viewed as a 'pain in the a***'. Read what former teammate Ben Foster had to say about the Portugal talisman's attitude in the dressing room during his first stint at Old Trafford.
The summer transfer window is racing towards the September 1 deadline, and the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga will conclude soon. However, until then, speculations around the Manchester United icon's future continue to pour in, with a report now stating that the striker's teammates have grown tired of his behaviour.
According to a report in ESPN, Ronaldo is viewed as a 'pain in the a***' by his United teammates, who are said to have celebrated when they learnt that the Portugal talisman wanted to leave Old Trafford to feature in Champions League this season. The 37-year-old legend, who had stated his desire to quit Old Trafford at the start of July, is yet to secure a move away.
The report has added that Ronaldo has become a 'divisive' figure in the squad as he has been unforgiving of his teammates' shortcomings. It also stated that the Manchester United icon expects players like Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford to deliver like Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney - stars during the striker's first spell at Old Trafford - and is critical when they do not reach these heights. Therefore, United's players were reportedly overjoyed when it became clear that 'pain in the a***' Ronaldo wanted to leave.
However, bringing an interesting angle to this entire saga is Ronaldo's former Manchester United teammate, goalkeeper Ben Foster, who shared the dressing room with the prolific striker when the pair were at the club together. Foster played for United between 2005 and 2009, and he finds it hard to believe that Ronaldo could be disruptive.
In an interview with talkSPORT earlier this month, Foster was asked if Ronaldo ever caused off-field issues at Old Trafford, to which he stated, "No, never. Honestly, he was a proper sound. He was never disruptive, never ever. I would never have a bad word to say about him. Everyone knows that he is super professional, and he did everything right. I guarantee it's the same now. You look at his pictures on Instagram... He's shredded; it's ridiculous!"
"He [Ronaldo] would come in and wasn't quite to the same level as Paul Scholes. Scholes would be in, out, shake [your hand], that will do. He isn't trying to talk to people. Scholesy was a private person. He'd come in, play his football and go home. That was the beauty of Paul Scholes. Ronaldo would talk to people. He had a bit more about him and would try to integrate with the lads and have a laugh and stuff, but he was never disruptive. Never ever. I guarantee that he isn't going in there, kicking up a fuss and being that divisive guy," Foster concluded.
Several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Marseille, and Atletico Madrid, have turned down the opportunity to sign Ronaldo this summer. The latest reports claim the Portuguese superstar's preference is to join Chelsea before Thursday's Deadline Day. Meanwhile, Manchester United have refused to cover the 37-year-old's wages in a move that would take the star man to Napoli.