Cristiano Ronaldo calls out ‘jealous’ Rooney and Carragher
When Manchester United’s signed their former hero, some questions were raised, and recent comments have seen a reaction.
It was a huge topic of discussion in the 2021 summer transfer window. Cristiano Ronaldo was heading back to his old stomping ground and while some people had him as a nailed on to be a success - “the missing piece to a title-winning side” - some, myself included, felt it was just another poor decision from the Manchester United board in recent years.
And, as it turns out, a former teammate, the current Derby County manager Wayne Rooney, has finally accepted that it was the latter, something Cristiano was quick to respond to.
He’s a goal threat, but the rest of his game, I think they need more. I think they need young, hungry players.
Ronaldo not the solution, says Rooney
The Portugal captain has managed 18 goals in 33 games in all competitions since his Old Trafford comeback, averaging a goal every 148 minutes, but United are out of all the cup competitions and languishing in seventh in the Premier League. That has led to questions over the capabilities of Ralf Rangnick, the identity of his successor at the end of the season, and United’s transfer dealings.
Rooney, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, concluded that Paul Pogba should move on and agreed with fellow pundit Jamie Carragher that the return of Ronaldo had proved a mistake.
“You’d have to say no, at the minute,” he said when asked had Ronaldo’s transfer worked. “He’s a goal threat, but the rest of his game, I think they need more. I think they need young, hungry players.
“He’s scored the hat-trick against Tottenham, but I think if you’re looking to the future of the club, you have to go with younger, hungry players to lift Manchester United over these next two to three years.
“Obviously Cristiano is getting on a bit, he certainly isn’t the player he was when he was in his 20s, and that happens, that’s football.”
Rooney later posted a photo to Instagram of him on the programme, and Ronaldo appeared to make his views known.
“Two Jealous,” he replied in a message to former team-mate Rooney, who he played with during his first stint at United, presumably referring to the comments made alongside Carragher.
United will be hoping Ronaldo can quieten his critics when they visit relegation-threatened Everton on Saturday.