Cristiano Ronaldo could finally secure his desired move away from Manchester United in January.
The 37-year-old tried to make a second exit from Old Trafford over the summer, with his desire to play Champions League football seen as the deciding factor.
No serious offer that would give him what he wanted came in, meaning he would be forced to see out the final year of his contract.
Ronaldo’s opinions are unlikely to have changed and if anything will have only grown stronger.
The striker has started just one Premier League game this season, with five other substitute appearances totaling 207 minutes.
In the Manchester derby on Sunday he was an unused substitute as they were beaten 6-3.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Ronaldo is eyeing a January exit and Erik ten Hag won’t stand in his way.
Ten Hag had been keen to keep him on after taking over as manager, but that stance has reportedly softened.
The Dutch manager has come under fire after he explained he didn’t use Ronaldo at the Etihad.
He said he didn’t use the Portuguese icon at the Etihad Stadium ‘out of respect for Cristiano, for his great career’.
Liverpool legend and talkSPORT pundit Graeme Souness has accused Ten Hag of disrespecting the 37-year-old.
“Ronaldo has an argument for saying, ‘I was the best player ever’ – he can sit down with any group of players in the history of the game if they were still alive and argue that,” Souness said.
“So the lack of respect that Manchester United are showing him now, I don’t see the point of taking the aggravation they’ve made by having him stay for not using him.
“It’s disrespectful not to use it. I don’t buy this [Ten Hag’s explanation]I think you are showing more disrespect by not using it.
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