Cristiano Ronaldo is officially leaving Manchester United

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"Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect." Man Utd announced on the homepage on the evening of November 22, London time.

The Red Devils thanked Ronaldo for his great contributions over the two periods of attachment, wishing him and his family all the best in the future.

In the remainder of the 67-word statement, Man Utd affirmed: "Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."

Ronaldo also confirmed his agreement to terminate his contract early after many conversations with Man Utd. He wishes the team every success for the rest of this season and the future. "I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge," the 37-year-old striker posted on his Twitter.

The split comes about a week after Ronaldo rocked the football world with a 90-minute exclusive interview with Piers Morgan. The things that the 37-year-old striker revealed in that interview caused the already very bad relationship between him and the club to break down to the point of being irreparable.

Ronaldo and Manchester United's relationship has become worse this season.

Before making a decision on Ronaldo, Manchester United waited for the full content of the interview to be broadcast in two parts on November 16 and November 17. They then announced that the Portuguese striker did not need to return to the team after the 2022 World Cup.

According to the Guardian, on November 18, the Old Trafford team appointed a lawyer to sue Ronaldo in court for breach of contract over his words in an interview with Piers Morgan. However, this team prioritizes working with the two sides to solve the problem quickly without going to court.

Ronaldo earns roughly $600,000 per week at Manchester United, according to his contract, which is valid until June 2023. He and his agent, Jorge Mendes, are said to want $19 million in compensation if forced to leave half a year early. But the two sides seem to have chosen a gentle divorce solution. Neither Manchester United nor Ronaldo's announcements mentioned any fines or compensation.

Ronaldo joined Manchester United at the age of 18 in the summer of 2003 and left for Real Madrid in 2009 for a world record transfer at that time, $97 million. In the first six years of his career, Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 matches, with the Red Devils winning nine titles, including a Champions League and three Premier League titles.

In his first spell at Old Trafford, Ronaldo helped the club win the Champions League.

Ronaldo suddenly returned to Man Utd at the end of the summer transfer window of 2021 after parting with Juventus. But in this reunion, he only stayed for a year and a half, scoring 27 goals in 54 matches, without winning any more titles. In the first season, although the team did not play well, Ronaldo personally still performed impressively, scoring 24 goals in 38 matches in all competitions. This season, he was dropped from Man United's starting lineup by coach Ten Hag, scoring three goals in 16 games, mostly from the bench, before leaving the club. 

Ronaldo and the Portuguese squad are currently ready to face Ghana in the opening match of Group H at the 2022 World Cup. There is no information available about his next stop. Many major clubs have officially rejected to sign the 37-year-old striker who has scored the most goals in world football history.