As Manchester United played its first match on Tuesday following the official departure of Ronaldo, coach Ten Hag confirmed that the split between the club and the player was a decision made by the Portuguese star. Ten Hag told "Via Play Sport" before the match against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League that the club is currently focused on Premier League matches. Regarding Ronaldo's absence from the team's attackers, Ten Hag said, "All I see is a team hungry to play. I don't look back; I only look to the future."
Manchester United announced in mid-November that they had parted ways with Ronaldo after the star conducted a television interview in which he criticized the club's management and both the previous and current coaching staff. However, Ten Hag stated, "Ronaldo is the one who chose to say goodbye; he is no longer part of the team. He has left and is in the past. We are now looking ahead to the future."
Despite Ten Hag's acknowledgment of the need for a replacement for the Portuguese striker, the team seems to have adapted well to life without him upon returning to the Premier League, winning against Nottingham Forest 3-0, placing them just one point away from Champions League positions. As Ten Hag looks to move forward and focus on the future, reports suggest that Ronaldo is also nearing a move to the Saudi league through Al Nassr, although there has been no official confirmation from either party.
