"Manchester City didn't want him you clown" - Jamie Carragher hits back at Gary Neville's claims on Cristiano Ronaldo

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher hit back at Gary Neville for claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo turned down Manchester City for Manchester United last summer.

Ronaldo re-joined Manchester United from Juventus last summer, 12 years after leaving the club. The Portuguese had an impressive individual season but the club struggled and failed to qualify for the Champions League. The 37-year-old has asked to leave Old Trafford again after the Red Devils’ quiet summer transfer window thus far.

After the news broke through, Carragher claimed that the Portuguese scored a lot of goals but made Manchester United worse as a team. In response, Neville claimed that Ronaldo had every right to want to leave Old Trafford despite choosing it over a move to Manchester City last summer.

Neville also suggested that Ronaldo’s intention to leave had little to do with his love for the club and encouraged Jamie Carragher to focus on Liverpool’s short period of success.

However, the Liverpool legend immediately hit back, claiming that Manchester City never wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. Carragher also claimed that Neville had likened Ronaldo’s return to that of Elvis Presley, and said the following on Twitter:

“City didn’t want him you (clown) and you’re the same fella who kept saying it was like Elvis had arrived in Manchester! Elvis has left the building.”

Manchester United have themselves to blame for Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer request?

Rumors of a Cristiano Ronaldo exit have been growing even before the season ended. The Portuguese is reportedly tired of the club’s inability to bring in new players and believes that they will not be able to compete for a title next season as well. Manchester United have been linked to a number of players and are reportedly edging closer to a move for Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong.

However, amidst the plethora of players who are leaving, the club needs to bring in multiple young players who are hungry for success. This does not mean that Manchester United need to only focus on high-profile targets that other clubs have hiked prices for.

Instead, they can also look to scout bargains by signing targets who might be available for cheaper asking prices. Considering the need to bring in multiple new faces, that appears to be a better approach, especially considering the number of high-profile signings that have failed at Old Trafford in recent years.

Cristiano Ronaldo has every reason to be frustrated and the coming weeks might prove utterly crucial with respect to both the immediate and the long-term future of the club. The Portuguese could be a huge influence for the team in the coming season as Champions League qualification will be of paramount importance.