Jamie Carragher has urged new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to get rid of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Big changes are expected at Old Trafford this summer with Ten Hag, following the end of a disastrous campaign in which they finished sixth.
Ronaldo has scored 24 goals in all competitions, but former Liverpool defender Carragher insists Ronaldo “was not a good signing” and should be released as an early statement at Old Trafford.
Jamie Carragher believes Erik ten Hag should look to sell Cristiano Ronaldo this summer
He doesn’t think Ronaldo was a “good signing” despite scoring 24 goals in all competitions
He told Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel: “(Jurgen) Klopp enters Liverpool right away, they bought players with Brendan Rodgers that summer.
“I think (Christian) Benteke cost them about £ 35/40 million, it was a few pounds, he was a great signing, center forward, and he said, ‘You’re not for me, out!’ bold decision right away, makes everyone stand up and think ‘Oh, this guy takes this job seriously!’
“I am convinced that (Ten Hag) has to do this with Ronaldo, whether he is allowed to or not, and I have said it constantly this season, it was not a good signing.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time, and I’m seen criticizing him: Ronaldo is a million times better than he could ever be, I couldn’t lace up his boots, obviously, but I’m not saying that being disrespectful to him is amazing.
“But Ronaldo has never played on such a bad team, he has played on some of the best teams and he has the attitude of wanting to be the main man, trying to score goals, pushing people and when you’re on a great team, that’s something I am seeing as positive.
“When you don’t play on a great team it can be something that is seen as negative, and I think it has been negative this season.
“Manchester United cannot enter next season with a 38-year-old center-forward, even if they score goals that are not suitable for Man United.
‘United need to buy a striker, but who do you buy from? Do you buy one that will play, or one that sits on the bench? What are you doing? If you buy a very good one, he has to play and Ronaldo has to go to the bench.
He thinks Ronaldo will be a “massive problem” for Ten Hag if he doesn’t play every week
“Ronaldo would be a big problem for Manchester United next season if he didn’t play every week, we’ve seen that this season, even when he leaves and there were times when the coach was right to take him out or put him on the bench, but he made a fuss.
“This is the most powerful thing that will ever be, the manager is the most powerful the first day at work, because he is there and should be able to make big decisions based on that and I would make that big decision like other senior executives they have done this so that everyone can sit down and realize ‘.
Ten Hag, however, said recently that he can’t wait to work with Ronaldo, describing him as a “true winner and a great player”.
One player who, unlike Ronaldo, struggled to score goals this season was English international Marcus Rashford.
The 24-year-old scored just five goals in 32 games in all competitions.
Overlap host Gary Neville said Ten Hag will see Rashford as a “project” with whom he can work and help improve.
Ten Hag is expected to help reverse Marcus Rashford’s fortune
Gary Neville said Ten Hag will see Rashford as a “project” after the striker’s tough season, although Carragher insisted the England international is “not good enough” for Man United.
He also added that the fall in Rashford’s form is due to the “illness in the United locker room” which has affected the confidence of the players and their performances.
Carragher, however, fired Rashford and said “it’s not good enough” for the Red Devils.
He said: “It’s not good enough for Man United, Marcus Rashford, that’s all.
“It’s not good enough for Manchester United. He won’t win the Champions League, the other two in front of him should be mega stars.
The Overlap is a YouTube channel by Gary Neville in collaboration with Sky Bet.