Manchester United are to seek legal advice before they offer a full response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational interview with UK TV host Piers Morgan, in which the player claimed he had been “betrayed” by the club and admitted he has no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
News of the 37-year-old’s unsanctioned interview with Morgan on TalkTV, which is due to be fully broadcast in the coming days, came as a surprise to the club, with several figures within its corridors of power said to be furious at the Portuguese star’s insubordination.
In brief clips released online, Ronaldo claims to have been mistreated by the football club and says he feels he’s being pushed out of the Red Devils.
He also took aim at the club’s leadership and its all-time top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, who has been a vocal critic of Ronaldo’s behavior in recent months.
United have yet to offer a full response to Ronaldo’s interview, but announced on Monday that it “will consider its response after the full facts have been established” – with UK publication Sky Sports suggesting the club is seeking legal advice to establish its options.
In a since-deleted tweet, litigation and sports lawyer David Seligman said Manchester United would likely be within its rights to cancel Ronaldo’s contract at Old Trafford, effectively making him the most high-profile footballer in history to be sacked by his club.
“After that interview, Man United would likely have grounds to terminate Ronaldo’s contract – material breach of the implied duty of trust and confidence as well as express terms regarding bringing [the] club into disrepute,” wrote Seligman.
It is understood that Ronaldo would not be entitled to any form of financial compensation if it was successfully established that he had engaged in misconduct or negligence.
FIFA rules dictate that no compensation is required if a contract is terminated under these circumstances.
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan has elaborated on how the contentious interview came to be.
“Well, Cristiano asked me to do it – simple as that,” the controversial TV host stated.
“I didn’t ask him, he asked me.
“It was all very recent. He’s been thinking about this for a while. I think it’s no secret that he’s felt a build-up of deep frustration about what’s been happening at United over the last year.
“He felt it was time to speak out. He knows it was going to be incendiary, he knows this is going to rattle some cages, but he also feels that he should be doing this.
“He knows people will criticize him, but he also knows that what he’s saying is true.
“Sometimes the truth hurts.”