“The most professional athlete we’ve seen for over 15 years”- Rio Ferdinand slams Manchester United fans for criticizing Cristiano Ronaldo over his absence from training due to family reasons
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Rio Ferdinand has explained Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from Manchester United and slammed Red fans who have queried the 37-year-old.
According to reports from last week, Ronaldo has requested a transfer away from Old Trafford, citing the club’s inability to make the Champions League as a key factor in his decision.
His agency has been actively seeking suitors to entice him away from United. In order to negotiate a prospective Ronaldo move, Jorge Mendes has spoken with the executives at Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
The striker was meant to report back to practice on Monday, but he hasn’t returned to Manchester yet. The club has, however, emphasized that this unavailability is personal in nature.
Also Read: “Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t care about Manchester United”- Garry Agbonlahor amidst transfer rumours
Cristiano Ronaldo misses three consecutive Manchester United trainings:
However, the news that Ronaldo’s private plane arrived in Madrid on Wednesday did not stop fans from making conjectures. Ronaldo’s professionalism in skipping the first week of training is being questioned by many.
Rio Ferdinand, a former teammate and a United icon, has firmly fought back on such claims, outlining the Portuguese’s predicament and the kind of guy he is.
“I’ve been seeing people being a touch disrespectful,” he said through his YouTube channel FIVE. “The way that people are questioning ‘he’s not here’ and the hysteria surrounding it. A member of his family is not well, so he’s not at training.
“This is the most consummate, most professional athlete that we’ve seen on these shores. The most professional athlete we’ve seen for over 15 years and people are questioning this guy’s professionalism and why he’s not at the training ground.
“Yeah he might want to leave, he might not be happy with certain things at the football club, but in terms of professionalism, this guy is training where he is – we’ve seen the pictures.
“His family are there, he needs to be where they are and you have to respect that. Simple as. Could it have been communicated better by the club? Probably.”
It is unknown if the seasoned forward will join the United team before they board their flight for the preseason trip on Friday or if he will join them there.
United’s position is still very apparent. As the club’s best player, Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale, especially to direct Premier League rivals like Thomas Tuchel’s team. Ronaldo finished the previous season with 18 league goals, earning a spot on the Premier League Team of the Season.
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Ujan Chakraborty
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