Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly unhappy with head coach Erik ten Hag and his tactical regimen.
Ronaldo, who arrived from Juventus for £13 million last summer, top-scored with 24 goals in 38 matches for Manchester United last season.
However, the 37-year-old striker tried to leave Old Trafford earlier this summer to continue playing in the UEFA Champions League at another club.
After failing to secure a move to clubs like Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, the Portuguese has currently been reduced to appearances off the bench.
Under Ten Hag, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has started just four matches, with only one coming in the Premier League.
According to The Times, Ronaldo is often at loggerheads with Ten Hag behind the scenes due to differences in opinion. He has repeatedly complained about the nature and quality of training sessions and is of the belief that the club could perform better in a different system.
As per the aforementioned report, the player considers his manager stubborn due to his inclination to adhere to his established approach.
Speaking after his team's recent 6-3 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday (October 2), Ten Hag shared his thoughts about Ronaldo after not bringing him on from the bench. He said (via The Telegraph):
"He's not happy that he wasn't playing Sunday, but that wasn't the question. The question was about how he is on the training pitch, his mood when he's around, and he’s happy. Of course he wants to play, he's p****d off when he's not playing."
He added:
"He's really competitive, as we all know. He's not happy when he's not playing but he's training well, he has a good mood, he's motivated and he gives his best. That is what we expect."
Ronaldo has netted just once in nine matches this season.
Manchester United are currently sixth in the 2022-23 Premier League standings with 12 points from seven games. The club will next lock horns with Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday (October 9).
Wayne Rooney comments on Cristiano Ronaldo's situation at Manchester United
DC United manager Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo to stay patient after suffering a lackluster start to the ongoing campaign. He told reporters (via Reuters):
"Cristiano... him and [Lionel] Messi are two of the greatest players to ever play the game, but ultimately time catches up with us all. He's obviously not the player he was when he was 22 or 23."
He added:
"Knowing him, it'll be very difficult for him to sit on the bench. I'm sure if he stays patient, his chance will come and, again, it's then obviously him taking those chances and trying to force his way back in."