Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has launched a scathing attack on summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal international returned to Old Trafford for a second spell last summer, looking a hugely exciting purchase when he joined from Juventus.
However, after a strong start, Ronaldo hasn’t quite lived up to his usual high standards in recent weeks, and it’s fair to say Ince is not at all happy with how the veteran forward has performed.
The ex-Red Devil also can’t see Ronaldo staying with Man Utd next season if current interim manager Ralf Rangnick gets the job on a permanent basis.
“People were saying he would be great for the club, the players and the youngsters,” Ince told the Sun.
“We thought that would be the case but the example he is setting, by throwing his toys out of the pram, is a bad one.
“Why would you listen to someone who is prepared to act the way he is?
“As we’ve seen on numerous occasions – running down the tunnel, not clapping fans, sulking – it’s not a good example to set.
“He was flying when he started but then he stopped getting the service, started dropping deeper to where he wasn’t a danger to anybody, and then the frustration came.
“He is a selfish player – Ronaldo is about Ronaldo. If he isn’t scoring, he won’t be happy.
“We saw it at Juventus when, after he left, Giorgio Chiellini said they can be a family again.
“It should be about Manchester United and the team but it’s become all about Ronaldo, and now we are seeing the full frustration.”
He added: “Whether he stays next year, I don’t know. It depends on who comes in at the end of the season. If Rangnick stays, I think you’ll see Ronaldo going.
“If Mauricio Pochettino comes in, he might stay. But Ronaldo has to play – you can’t be paying someone half a million pounds a week to sit on the bench against Burnley when you need three points.
“If he’s not playing, I can’t see him being here next season.”
United fans will surely have mixed feelings about these claims from Ince, as it perhaps seems a bit harsh on Ronaldo in what has been a challenging season for everyone at Old Trafford.
Other big names like Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford have also not really performed at their best, with goalkeeper David de Gea one of the few players to really emerge with any credit so far.
Ronaldo may not be at the peak of his powers any more, but he’s still shown moments of real quality in a United shirt, even if he could perhaps be contributing more in terms of being a leader and setting a good example.