‘Heading to a divorce’ – Piers Morgan reveals Cristiano Ronaldo was fully aware of interview consequences as Manchester United announce they are taking ‘appropriate steps’ in response

Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United are ‘heading to a divorce’ following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.

That is according to the man that spoke to the 37-year-old himself, with Morgan revealing he cannot see a future for the striker at Old Trafford.

With Ronaldo slamming the state of the club, United released a statement on Friday morning where they announced they have ‘initiated appropriate steps in response’.

All signs seem to point towards the Portugal international’s contract being ripped up at the Theatre of Dreams.

His former teammate Gary Neville, who was scolded by Ronaldo in his interview to TalkTV, has urged the Red Devils to ‘terminate his contract’.

And speaking to talkSPORT, Morgan has stated that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was fully aware of the consequences his comments could cause.

Reacting to United’s response on White and Jordan, Morgan said: “Well I think it’s highly unlikely he will be going back to Manchester United.

“I think he knew when he did this interview it would be highly unlikely for all the reasons he stated in the interview.

“So I think they’re probably heading to a divorce between Ronaldo and United.”

Asked by Jim White whether Ronaldo has brought the club into disrepute, Morgan replied: “No. I think the club has been in disrepute for a long time.

“And Cristiano Ronaldo came back last season, he scored 24 goals, and just to remind everyone, he scored one more goal in the Premier League last season than Harry Kane, who by common consent, is one of the top three or four strikers in the world.

“He also scored six goals in the Champions League, and as he pointed out you don’t go from ‘that guy’ to somebody that can’t play football in three months.”

Pressed on whether he believes Ronaldo has disrespected United, Morgan simply stated: “They’ve shown him no respect.”

After then getting involved in a heated exchange with Simon Jordan, White asked Morgan whether the interview will ultimately prove to be the end of Ronaldo’s career at United.

To which he said: “I would think probably yeah. I think it doesn’t take a genius to work out they’ve probably reached an irreparable stage and that’s why he did the interview.

“But his heart has been at Manchester United for a very long time since he was an 18-year-old.

“And he doesn’t feel happy about any of this, he feels like he’s at the end of his tether about it.

“I think Ronaldo is a very smart guy, and he didn’t do this casually on a whim, he thought about this for quite a long time and he decided this was the right time to speak out and to have his say.

“He’s perfectly, perfectly aware that other people may want to come out and have their say as Wayne Rooney has today, Gary Neville did yesterday, Manchester United will now.

“But again, I simply say he’s dropped a lot of truth bombs here as far as I’m concerned, let’s see if anybody wants to challenge the truths that he’s put out there, and if they do, fair enough, he’ll take that.

“But I believe Ronaldo, and I think many Manchester United fans would be better served to themselves and their club to listen to his critique of the club and understand that when someone of this stature says that ‘Manchester United has gone nowhere in the last 12 years’, they should take that very seriously and they should wonder why.”