Manchester United are reportedly setting their sights as high as possible for their Cristiano Ronaldo replacement, planning a massive bid for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

According to The Mirror, the 37-year-old Ronaldo has played his last game for the Red Devils after burning bridges with his explosive interview during the week.

Meanwhile, Mbappe is considered arguably the most valuable player in world football, racking up 169 goals in 193 games across his past five seasons with the French giants.

While there has been no indication the 23-year-old would consider United as a potential landing spot for the next stage of his career, the report claims he is their number one target.

TOP STORY – UNITED PLAN SHOCK BID FOR PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN'S MBAPPE

The Mirror claims that if United can get Ronaldo's contract off their books, they will be one of the only clubs in Europe who can afford the eye-watering contract demands of France's top star.

Sure to demand a fee north of £150million, and a contract exceeding £500,000 per week, it is a financial proposition that has caused even heavyweights such as Liverpool to declare him too expensive.

The report also states United will push forward their plans to invest at striker to January, further harming their chances of securing Mbappe as Paris Saint-Germain seek their first Champions League title.

However, it also mentions 23-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as their back-up plan, as the Nigeria international is expected to be available in the range of £60m.

ROUND-UP

- Football Italia is reporting Bayern Munich right-back Benjamin Pavard would be open to joining Milan, despite the 26-year-old being heavily linked with Manchester United.

- According to 90min, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United are all showing interest in 27-year-old Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar, who is yet to renew his contract beyond this season.

- Leicester City, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion have Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba on their radars, per 90min.

- According to Sport, Manchester City are monitoring 33-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos with the hope that he does not renew his contract.

- Calciomercato is reporting Tottenham target Weston McKennie could leave Juventus in January.

Cristiano Ronaldo says the death of his baby son was "the most difficult moment I had in my life."

As part of a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV, which will be released in full on Wednesday, Ronaldo has hit out at Manchester United and criticised his manager Erik ten Hag, among others.

In a further snippet of the interview released on Tuesday, Ronaldo spoke of the tragic moment in April when he and his partner Georgina Rodriguez lost their son during childbirth.

"It was probably the worst moment that I passed through in my life since my father died," Ronaldo said.

"When you have a kid you expect that everything will be normal, and you have that problem, it's hard. As a human being, me and Georgina had quite difficult moments because we didn't understand why it happened to us.

"It was difficult, to be honest, it was very difficult to understand what is going on in that period of our life.

"As you know, the football carries on, it's so fast, there are so many competitions... and passing through that is probably the most difficult moment that I had in my life, for me and my family, especially Geo. That was tough."

Rodriguez gave birth to a baby girl, who is about to turn seven months old, and Portugal captain Ronaldo – who is currently preparing for the World Cup in Qatar – says he did not know how to react at the time.

"I tried to explain to my family and close friends: 'I never felt to be so happy and sad in the same moment'," he added. "It's hard to explain, so difficult. You don't know if you [should] cry or smile, because it's something [where] you don't know how to react.

"You don't know what to do, to be honest."

Cristiano Ronaldo's scathing criticism of Manchester United will not have an impact on Portugal's quest for World Cup glory in Qatar, insists midfielder Joao Mario.

Ronaldo has endured a torrid season after reportedly expressing his desire to leave Old Trafford in the transfer window, making just four Premier League starts and only scoring once in the competition.

Having been temporarily exiled from first-team activities by Erik ten Hag after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham last month, Ronaldo's United future is again in doubt following his decision to grant an explosive interview to Piers Morgan.

In early excerpts published from the interview, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner claimed to have been "betrayed" by United and said he has no respect for Ten Hag.

Ronaldo is set to begin his fifth and likely final World Cup campaign this month, and international team-mate Joao Mario does not believe Portugal will suffer for the 37-year-old's actions.

"I don't see a problem with the timing, so it's fine for us," Joao Mario said at a press conference on Tuesday. 

"I don't think it puts further pressure on him or on us. We're used to dealing with great pressure.

"It's not the first time that a player comes to the national team having a problem with his club. One of the advantages is that we put everything to the side when we are here. 

"When we get to the national team, it's another working group and we try to focus on what's most important.

"The headlines are always about him. Honestly, every time we come to the national team, the first questions asked are always about Ronaldo. The focus is always on him, and we are used to that.

"He is always happy when he is with national team. I saw him yesterday and he is fine, as always when he arrives here. 

"He is totally focused on the national team and he is going to be a big help for us at the World Cup."

Portugal will begin their Group H campaign against Ghana on November 24 after taking on Nigeria in a pre-tournament friendly on Thursday.

Having scored at the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups, Ronaldo could become the first player to score in five different editions of the tournament when he takes to the field in Qatar.

However, all seven of his World Cup goals to date have come in the group stage – no player has scored more goals at the tournament without finding the net in a knockout game.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frosty reception from Manchester United team-mate Bruno Fernandes as they reunited for Portugal's World Cup preparations.

The superstar forward, who has cut a frustrated figure at Old Trafford this term following an off-season spent reportedly seeking an exit, roundly criticised the club in an interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan. 

In excerpts published ahead of the full discussion, Ronaldo took aim at boss Erik ten Hag, United's ownership under the Glazer family, and several other members of their hierarchy.

His comments have been widely criticised since, though with United now not in domestic action until after Qatar 2022, Ronaldo's interaction with club-mates was always going to be minimised.

That is not the case with fellow Portugal international Fernandes, however, who appeared to snub Ronaldo upon meeting him as part of Fernando Santos' squad earlier this week.

In a video published by the team's official social media channels, the midfielder seems to ignore his team-mate's outstretched hand on arrival into the dressing room, only to turn back and shake before walking away.

Portugal will hope any disharmony between the two can quickly be put to one side with the duo key figures in their hopes of success.

They begin their World Cup campaign against Ghana on November 24 in Group H, before further fixtures against Uruguay and South Korea.

Some of the Premier League's top clubs are reportedly keeping a close eye on Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram – including Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Thuram, 25, is a towering presence up front, standing at six-foot-four and, after arriving at Gladbach from Ligue 1's Guingamp in 2019 for a fee of €12million, he has continued to grow as a goalscorer.

Through just 15 Bundesliga games this season, Thuram has matched his career-high tally of 10 league goals, including strikes against both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

His recent run of form has seen him earn a late inclusion into France's World Cup squad as they look to defend their title, and although he may not receive a start, he was worked his way onto the radar of some of the world's elite clubs.

TOP STORY – 25-YEAR-OLD FRANCE INTERNATIONAL LIKELY AVAILABLE ON FREE TRANSFER

Thuram has spent four seasons with Gladbach, and this is looking like his last as he is yet to renew his contract ahead of its expiry date at the end of this campaign.

With a transfer value likely north of €40m, the ability to land a powerful striker entering his prime as a free agent is a deal too good to pass up for forward-hungry Premier League sides.

90min is reporting Tottenham sent scouts over to Germany recently to watch him play, while Liverpool and Arsenal are also mentioned as interested parties.

ROUND-UP

– According to Express, Cristiano Ronaldo could move to Chelsea after the departure of Thomas Tuchel, who was said to be the one blocking the idea.

– Express is also reporting Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester City have identified 19-year-old Las Palmas midfielder Alberto Moleiro as a target. 

– Sky Sports Germany is reporting 22-year-old Salzburg striker Noah Okafor is available for a January transfer, with City, Liverpool and Milan named as suitors for the €40m-rated Switzerland international.

– Chelsea are confident they have done enough to secure 25-year-old RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku in the January window, per 90min.

– According to Relevo, Barcelona are willing to let Memphis Depay leave on a free transfer in January.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that the Manchester United owners "don't care about the club" and feels the fans "should know the truth".

The Portuguese forward has let loose in a fiery interview set to be broadcast fully on Wednesday, criticising manager Erik ten Hag and former boss Ralf Rangnick, while also stating he feels "betrayed" by the club.

Ronaldo has now aimed his sights higher up the hierarchy at Old Trafford, accusing the American owners of holding no interest in how the club performs on the field.

"The owners of the club, the Glazers, they don't care about the club. The sports, they don't really care in my opinion," he told Piers Morgan Uncensored.

"I've never spoken to them. They give all the power to the sporting director.

"The fans are always right, they should know the truth. The players, we want the best for the club, I want the best for the club, this is why I came back to Manchester United, it is why I love the club.

"But you have some things inside the club which don't help you reach the top level like [Manchester] City, Liverpool, even now Arsenal, for example, which is difficult.

"It's hard. In my opinion, it will be hard for United to be at the top of the game in the next two or three years."

Ronaldo also hit back at former teammates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, both of whom have been critical of him this season, and accused them of using his name to gain fame in their post playing careers.

"They are not my friends. I don't know if they have a job on television where they must criticise me to become more famous, I really don't understand," he added.

"I think they take advantage of that because they're not stupid. I have to carry on with my life with criticism or praise but it's hard when you see people who were in the dressing room with you, criticising you in that way.

"I'm not going to lose sleep because they criticise but it's not good to listen to that. It's a little bit disappointing."

Cristiano Ronaldo alleged some members of Manchester United's hierarchy did not believe his reasoning for missing pre-season when his daughter was in hospital.

Ronaldo has hit out at United in a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV, which will be released in full on Wednesday, criticising manager Erik ten Hag, former boss Ralf Rangnick and the club.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner insisted Alex Ferguson convinced him to re-sign at Old Trafford but suggested "zero progress" has been made since the legendary Scot left in 2013.

United issued a statement saying a response would follow once the interview, in which Ronaldo stated he felt "betrayed" by the club, was released in full.

In a new clip released on Monday, Ronaldo claimed two senior members at United doubted his daughter, Bella, was sick with bronchitis just three months after her twin brother had died.

"I spoke with the director and the president of Man Utd and they kind of didn't believe that something was going wrong, which made me feel bad," the Portugal captain said.

The forward missed United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia after being granted additional time off by Ten Hag.

When pressed to confirm senior United figures did not believe he was telling the truth, Ronaldo added: "They believe me but in the same way [shakes head]…

"I am never going to change the health of my family for a football. Now, or 10 years behind or forward.

"And it is something that really hurt me because they doubted my word that I was struggling, especially Bella and Geo [Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo's girlfriend].

"We had one week in hospital because Bella had a big problem and I didn't go to the pre-season because of that.

"I didn't want to leave my family to do the pre-season because I didn't think it was fair to leave my family for a pre-season. This is why I didn't go."

Ronaldo stated in an Instagram post on Monday that his full focus is on achieving World Cup glory with Portugal, who face Ghana on November 24 in their Group H opener.

Cristiano Ronaldo says his "absolute focus" will be on Portugal at the World Cup amid the furore of his scathing interview on Manchester United.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner criticised United manager Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick and senior figures at Old Trafford in an interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV, which will be released in full on Wednesday.

Ronaldo said he felt "betrayed" by United and claimed no progress had been made by the club since Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.

United subsequently responded with a statement on Monday noting the interview and vowed to reply "after the full facts have been established".

The 37-year-old on Monday stated his focus will be fully on playing for Portugal in Qatar ahead of their Group H opener against Ghana on November 24.

"Total and absolute focus on national team work. United group, towards one objective: realise the dream of all Portuguese people!," he posted on Instagram.

His post a picture of himself with Portugal team-mates at training despite missing United's past two matches due to "illness".

The Red Devils beat Fulham 2-1 without Ronaldo on Sunday and are fifth in the Premier League, three points behind Tottenham with a game in hand.

Portugal captain Ronaldo will hope to help his country to World Cup glory in the Middle East, where Fernando Santos' side will also face Uruguay and South Korea in Group C.

Manchester United have issued a statement following Cristiano Ronaldo's seismic interview, where he expressed he felt "betrayed" by the club.

In a 90-minute interview conducted by Piers Morgan, due to be released fully on Wednesday, Ronaldo issued scathing criticism upon the club, Erik ten Hag and former caretaker boss Ralf Rangnick.

The 37-year-old declared he had "no respect" for Ten Hag and had "never heard of" his predecessor Rangnick, while claiming no progress had been made by the club since Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.

Ronaldo's comments come ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, with United not in Premier League action again until Boxing Day, and they will take their time to decide the appropriate action.

The statement read: "Manchester United notes the media coverage regarding an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo.

"The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established.

"Our focus remains on preparing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and togetherness being built among the players, manager, staff, and fans."

Ronaldo has made 16 appearances across all competitions for United this season, 10 of which have been as a starter, scoring three goals and registering two assists.

However, he has netted just once in the Premier League this season, coming off the bench against Everton on October 9 to score the winner in a 2-1 victory.

The Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United took arguably its most shocking twist on Sunday with the release of an interview in which he said he feels "betrayed" by senior figures at the club.

Asked if he felt he was being forced out of Old Trafford, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan Uncensored: "Yes, not only by the coach, but by another two or three guys around the club that I felt betrayed me.

"I shouldn't say that [they were trying to get rid of me], I don't know, but yes, I feel betrayed. I felt that some people didn't want me here not only this year, but last year too."

Having made just four Premier League starts this season, Ronaldo's explosive comments would appear to push him closer to the exit door. 

How did it get to this point? Let's look back at Ronaldo's tumultuous second spell with the club with whom he made his name.

August 27, 2021: Having appeared destined to sign for Manchester City, United announce an agreement with Juventus to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford. On August 31, a two-year deal with an option for a third season is completed.

September 11, 2021: His second debut sees Ronaldo face Newcastle United at home, and he marks it in style with a brace in a 4-1 win.

September 29, 2021: Champions League history for Ronaldo as he breaks the record for the most appearances (178) in the competition and fittingly scores a last-gasp winner as United beat Villarreal 2-1.

November 21, 2021: Ronaldo continued to score important goals for United in the Champions League, however, a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 2-0 loss to City piled the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. After a 4-1 loss at Watford, the man who brought Ronaldo back to the club is sacked.

November 29, 2021: Ralf Rangnick is appointed as United's interim manager until the end of the season, with the club confirming he would stay on for two years in a consultancy role. 

Ronaldo said of Rangnick in Sunday's interview: "They bring in a sporting director Ralf Rangnick which is something nobody understands. This guy is not even a coach! A big club like Manchester United bringing in a sporting director surprised not only me but all the world."

December 2, 2021: In Michael Carrick's final game as caretaker before Rangnick officially took charge, Ronaldo scores twice in a 3-2 win over Arsenal, netting his 800th and 801st goals in his career for club and country.

February 15, 2022: A goal in a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion ends the longest drought of Ronaldo's career, one that stretched back to a December 30 defeat of Burnley and lasted 588 minutes of football.

March 12, 2022: Having missed the Manchester derby because of a hamstring injury, Ronaldo scores a hat-trick on return in a 3-2 win over Tottenham. The treble takes him to 807 goals, past Josef Bican's all-time record of 805. However, the Czech Republic FA claims Bican actually scored 821.

April 16-23, 2022: A hat-trick against Norwich City marks the 50th of Ronaldo's career, and he follows that up a week later with his 100th Premier League goal in a loss to Arsenal, an emotional game for the Portugal international having come days after he and his partner announced the death of their baby son.

April 21, 2022: Erik ten Hag is appointed as United's new manager from the 2022-23 season. On May 16, the Dutchman leaves his role at Ajax early to start preparations for his new job.

May 22, 2022: United's 2021-22 season ends with the Red Devils in sixth, seeing them have to settle for Europa League football. Ronaldo does not feature in their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace that rounds off a campaign in which he scored 24 goals but never meshed with Rangnick and his style of football.

July 11, 2022: Despite intense speculation around Ronaldo and agent Jorge Mendes trying to force a transfer away from United, Ten Hag insists Ronaldo is "not for sale".

July 31, 2022: Ronaldo leaves early during United’s pre-season friendly with Rayo Vallecano, along with some other team-mates. Ten Hag slams that decision as “not acceptable”.

October 2, 2022: Ronaldo is left on the bench in the 6-3 loss to City, a game United trailed 4-0 at half-time. Ten Hag claims the decision was down to “respect” for Ronaldo’s career.

October 19, 2022: Having refused to enter the game as a substitute, Ronaldo walks down the tunnel during United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham. He is suspended by the club three days later.

November 13, 2022: After being left out of United’s EFL Cup clash with Aston Villa with an apparent illness, Ronaldo is again absent from their squad for the final game before the World Cup break, a 2-1 win at Fulham. Later that day, his bombshell interview is released.

Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Manchester United is surely up. 

Following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which the superstar forward said he feels "betrayed" by senior figures at Old Trafford and does not respect manager Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo's departure seems certain.

Having tried and failed to join a new club in the past transfer window, Ronaldo may be granted his wish in January once the World Cup is done and dusted.

If that is the case, there are only a few likely destinations for the Portugal international, who is reportedly eager to continue his career at the highest level despite turning 38 in February.

Napoli

A return to Serie A has been touted for Ronaldo, with Napoli being named as potential suitors earlier this year after losing attacking spearheads Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens. Whether the that remains the case, with Luciano Spalletti's side eight points clear at the Serie A summit, remains to be seen.

But in Ronaldo's three years in Italy with Juventus, no player scored more Serie A goals than his tally of 81 and, despite spending the past year and a half with United, only Ciro Immobile (117) has scored more Serie A goals since 2018.

Napoli would certainly match Ronaldo's aspirations, with Champions League football post-Christmas to look forward to and a first Scudetto since the glory days of Diego Maradona a realistic target. However, the club's finances and the forward's wage demands may prove to be restrictive.

Chelsea

Finances will certainly not be a problem for Chelsea, who are at somewhat of a crossroads following Todd Boehly's takeover earlier this year. The American billionaire is said to have previously met with Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes, but no transfer went through in August.

Thomas Tuchel has since been replaced by Graham Potter in the Stamford Bridge dugout, though, and while the Englishman may not be on board with the idea of signing another ageing attacker, Boehly will very much have the final say.

Whether Ronaldo would accept a move to a Premier League rival, even if his reputation at Old Trafford has plummeted in recent months, is the biggest question regarding any hopes the Blues may have in signing the Portuguese. There is also then the small matter of United agreeing to offload to a domestic rival midway through the campaign, with both sides battling for a top-four finish.

Sporting CP

With a United homecoming already under his belt, could Sporting secure a sensational return of their own and bring Ronaldo back to where it all began? It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility – especially as he enters the final six months of his United contract.

Ronaldo had just a single season in the senior squad with Sporting before he moved to United, so he may feel he has unfinished business – and it is a side that can definitely compete, having ended a 20-year barren spell without a league title in the 2020-21 season.

That said, Sporting have endured a difficult campaign this time around as they sit fourth in the Primeira Liga and have exited the Champions League. As head coach Ruben Amorim recently stated, however, there is no harm in dreaming of seeing CR7 in the famous green and white strip once again.

Real Madrid

Another possible return destination... could Ronaldo wind back up in the Spanish capital?

The Champions League winners are hardly in need of another superstar forward, given they already have the world's best player in Karim Benzema, but bringing Ronaldo back to the club where he scored 450 goals would surely appeal to president Florentino Perez, who is never shy in his attempts to make statement signings.

Madrid missed out on Kylian Mbappe earlier this year, much to their frustration, and having Ronaldo in their side would undoubtedly provide some depth up top until the PSG forward is further into the new, three-year contract he signed with the French club in May.

MLS

Champions League football has been documented as the reason for Ronaldo's strong desire to leave United but, if such offers are not forthcoming, could a move to MLS be on the cards? 

Financial rules and designated player spots would make a switch complicated, with there only being a handful of teams likely to be able to make a move possible – likely to be those in Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

With the 2026 World Cup taking place in North America, bringing Ronaldo to MLS would raise the profile of the league further – and would undoubtedly be the biggest acquisition for the league since David Beckham's move to LA Galaxy in 2007.

That move marked the start of a new era of soccer in the US and has evolved considerably since, though Ronaldo's arrival would send things to a completely new level.

The World Cup break is "a danger" for Alejandro Garnacho as the rising star's momentum could be stifled, according to Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.

Garnacho struck a 93rd-minute winner as a second-half substitute to rescue United a 2-1 victory in Sunday's Premier League contest with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Argentina Under-20 international, who is not part of Lionel Scaloni's senior squad for Qatar 2022, now has two goals and two assists in his past four appearances.

While impressed by the youngster's form, Ten Hag is worried five weeks without playing a competitive match could work against Garnacho.

"It is still a long way to go. He has to keep his feet on the ground – it’s the whole team now," Ten Hag said.

"He has to do much more investment as he'll be recognisable for everyone, so it’s much more important to every time confirm it, big players know that, young players don't know.

"Now it's a four-week break, that's already a danger for him because now has momentum. It's good in the season and let's see how he's coming back.

"We have to manage that, manage that with him. His attitude is good and I'm certain he will have an impact. The danger is four weeks, no games, lose focus, less investment.

"It's only when he stays with the same attitude he's shown the last three, four or five weeks that his progress will keep going. If not it goes the other way."

At 18 years and 135 days, Garnacho is the youngest player to net a 90th-minute Premier League winner since Federico Macheda for United against Aston Villa in April 2009.

Daniel James earlier cancelled out Christian Eriksen's opener, making him the 10th different player to score against United in the competition having previously played for them.

United's hard-fought victory in south London was overshadowed later on Sunday when Cristiano Ronaldo revealed in an interview he feels "betrayed" by the club.

Ronaldo has sat out United's past two matches through illness, but Ten Hag expects the superstar forward to be fit in time for Portugal's upcoming World Cup campaign.

Ten Hag, speaking ahead of the Ronaldo interview being released, said: "He's ill, but I don't think it's bad and we are confident [he'll make the World Cup."

United face Burnley in the EFL Cup fourth round on their return to action on December 19, before hosting Nottingham Forest in the league eight days later.

Cristiano Ronaldo revealed Alex Ferguson convinced him to re-join Manchester United, but the legendary former manager knows there has been "zero progress" since his departure from Old Trafford.

Ronaldo has been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny this season, having pushed for a move away from United prior to the campaign while subsequently falling out of favour with new manager Erik ten Hag.

Although heavily linked with a move to rivals Manchester City, the Portugal skipper returned to Old Trafford in August 2021 on the advice of his former boss, who he revealed is in agreement the club has stalled since the Scotsman's retirement in 2013.

in a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, Ronaldo also questioned the Red Devils' decision to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Ralf Rangnick last season, while admitting a new direction is essential.

"I followed my heart," he said. "[Sir Alex] said to me, 'It's impossible for you to come to Manchester City,' and I said, 'Okay, Boss.'

"Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. The progress was zero. After sacking Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer], they bring in sport director Ralf Rangnick, which is something nobody understands. This guy is not even a coach.

"A big club like Manchester United bringing in a sporting director surprised not only me, but all the world."

He continued: "I think the fans should know the truth. I want the best for the club. This is why I come to Manchester United.

"But you have some things inside that don't help [us] reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal. A club with this dimension should be top of the tree in my opinion, and they are not, unfortunately.

"As Picasso said, you have to destroy it to rebuild it, and if they start with me, for me, it's not a problem.

"I love Manchester United, I love the fans, they're always on my side. But if they want to do it different, they have to change many, many things.

"He [Sir Alex] knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that, it's because they don't want to see; they are blind."

Cristiano Ronaldo says he feels "betrayed" by senior figures at Manchester United and has no respect for the club's head coach Erik ten Hag after enduring a tumultuous season at Old Trafford.

Having top-scored for United with 24 goals in all competitions last term, Ronaldo reportedly asked to leave the club following their failure to qualify for the Champions League, and the 37-year-old has fallen out of favour since Ten Hag took charge ahead of this campaign. 

Ronaldo was temporarily exiled from first-team activities last month after refusing to come on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Tottenham and has only scored one Premier League goal all season.

Before travelling to Qatar to represent Portugal at his fifth and likely final World Cup, Ronaldo stated his belief that senior figures at Old Trafford – including Ten Hag – want rid of him.

 Asked whether he felt he was being forced out of Old Trafford, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan uncensored: "Yes, not only by the coach but by another two or three guys around the club that I felt betrayed me.

"I shouldn't say that [they were trying to get rid of me], I don't know, but yes, I feel betrayed. I felt that some people didn't want me here not only this year but last year too."

Ten Hag has preferred to hand opportunities to Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Anthony Elanga in United's attack this season, and has only started Ronaldo in four league games.

Last month, Ten Hag said he opted against bringing Ronaldo on in a 6-3 defeat to rivals Manchester City "out of respect", while the Portugal forward was visibly irritated by the Dutchman's decision to substitute him against Newcastle United two weeks later.

Asked about his relationship with Ten Hag, Ronaldo added: "I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me. 

"If you don't have respect for me, I'm never going to have respect for you."

Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested Wayne Rooney's criticism of his behaviour at Manchester United is rooted in jealousy.

Ronaldo has been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny this season, having pushed for a move away from United ahead of the August kick-off.

After staying at Old Trafford, the United great fell out of favour under new manager Erik ten Hag and was widely criticised for refusing to appear as a substitute against Tottenham.

Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel during that match and was subsequently suspended for United's next game.

Ten Hag has reintegrated Ronaldo, but his role remains the subject of debate, with former strike partner Rooney weighing in this week.

While some of Ronaldo's other team-mates have defended him, Rooney said the 37-year-old's behaviour was "not acceptable" and an "unwanted distraction".

Now, in a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, Ronaldo has responded.

"I don't know why he criticises me so badly," he said in an interview that will be broadcast in full next week.

"Probably because he finished his career and I'm still playing at a high level.

"I'm not going to say that I'm looking better than him – which is true..."

Ronaldo joined United for the first time in 2003, a year before Rooney was signed from Everton, and the pair won the 2007-08 Champions League together.

While Ronaldo will be heading to the World Cup with Portugal, Rooney – England's record goalscorer – is preparing for his first full season in charge of MLS side D.C. United.

As well as poking fun at Rooney, Ronaldo used his interview as a platform to discuss how he has been "betrayed" by United, adding he does not respect Ten Hag.