"A***d" - Paul Scholes' brutal reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes posted a cold reaction to the news of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the club by mutual consent, as per UnitedInFocus.

The Portugal icon's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan was released in snippets just hours after United's 2-1 Premier League win over Fulham on 13 November.

Ronaldo made manager Erik ten Hag, Wayne Rooney, and Gary Neville, among others, the target of his comments. He stated that he did not view his former Manchester United teammates as friends, but rather as colleagues.

Scholes has hit back at the criticism of his old teammates in his own manner. The former England international shared a post that confirmed Ronaldo's departure from the club and wrote:

"Mission accomplished...a***d!!"

The Instagram story has seemingly been deleted now.

Scholes seems to imply that the purpose of Cristiano Ronaldo's interview with Morgan was to force an exit from United. He wanted to leave the club this summer, but superagent Jorge Mendes was unable to find a suitable club for him.

Perhaps the prospect of signing the 37-year-old on a free transfer would be a little more enticing for some of Europe's biggest clubs. However, his wage demands could prove to be a hurdle for many teams.

Ronaldo was paid £500,000 a week in salary per week at Old Trafford. Scholes' reaction, meanwhile, mirrors the feelings of many United fans, who were arguably feeling alienated from Ronaldo after his latest antics.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner left Old Trafford twice before the full-time whistle this campaign - first against Rayo Vallecano and then against Tottenham Hotspur in October.

This brings to an end a long-drawn saga that seemed to have begun when manager Erik ten Hag became United's manager this summer.

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Former Manchester United defender chimes in on Cristiano Ronaldo's premature exit

Compared to Scholes, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand's reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo's departure was much more sobering.

Speaking on the BBC (h/t the Mirror) after Mexico's 0-0 draw against Poland on 22 November, Ferdinand remarked:

"He obviously did that interview with the mindset that he wanted to get out of the football club.

"[He] wasn’t happy, made it very clear, but I also think Erik ten Hag has got what he wanted as well in this situation. Both parties are happy, move on, next chapter for Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Cristiano Ronaldo's primary focus at the moment will be on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Manchester United's Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes are expected to feature alongside Ronaldo when Portugal play Ghana in their opening group match on 24 November.