LONDON: Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo says he will reveal the truth in a couple of weeks after constant speculation about his future at the club.

The Portugal forward missed United’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia due to personal reasons as speculation swirled over whether he would be leaving Old Trafford.

It has been reported Ronaldo wants to play Champions League football, but United maintain the 37-year-old is not for sale and remains an integral part of the plans of new boss Erik ten Hag.

“They [will] know the truth when they interview in a couple weeks,” the 37-year-old said on Instagram.

Ronaldo also liked a post from a fan saying that Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone wanted to sign him.

Replying to the post, Ronaldo said: “The media is telling lies. I have a notebook and in the last few months of the 100 news [stories] I made, only five were right. Imagine how it is. Stick with that tip.”

Ronaldo, who rejoined United a year ago from Juventus, has a year left on his contract.

He was their top scorer last season with 24 goals in all competitions but was criticised by Ten Hag after leaving a pre-season match against Rayo Vallecano early after being substituted at halftime.

United missed out on the Champions League last season, finishing sixth in the Premier League, and have suffered a dreadful start to the new campaign, losing both their opening games and sitting bottom of the table. They host Liverpool on Monday.

Former United player Gary Neville was fiercely critical of the club after Saturday’s 4-0 defeat by Brentford and called on Ronaldo to be clear about his situation.

“Why does the greatest player of all time [in my opinion] have to wait two weeks to tell Manchester United fans the truth?,” Neville said in a Twitter post. “Stand up now and speak. The club is in crisis and it needs leaders to lead. He’s the only one who can grab this situation by the scruff of the neck!”

United’s owners, the Glazer family, have come under fire following the team’s terrible start.

Manchester United supporters’ group — The 1958 —is planning a protest march outside Old Trafford against the club’s owners ahead of the Liverpool match.

In a statement the group said the ownership was “systematically starving and killing the greatest football institution in world football, for greed”.

“We appreciate emotions are running high,” it added. “We must keep it legal, we must keep it peaceful….Bring the heat, bring the noise, bring the passion. Let’s show the Glazer family that this time it will not blow over.”

Billionaire Elon Musk sparked a social media frenzy on Tuesday evening when he raised the prospect of buying United from the Glazer family.

The Tesla CEO made the comment in a tweet, then later clarified his position by saying he had no intention of buying a sports team and that it had been a “long-running joke”.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2022