"Dead player" — Manchester United star's shocking verdict on Cristiano Ronaldo before Portuguese attacker's Old Trafford arrival emerges

Cristiano Ronaldo was allegedly labeled a 'dead' player by Manchester United's Mason Greenwood, as per a stunning new report from The Athletic.

The Englishman is the subject of a series of internal investigations from Manchester United after a controversial incident emerged in 2022. Greenwood was hit with charges of attempted sexual assault, coersive and controlling behaviour over his partner at the time.

The 21-year-old is yet to feature for the club since being brandished with the said charges and is unlikely to do so this season. However, a new report has delivered further insight into his behaviour while playing for Manchester United.

That includes a derogatory dig at former Red Devils, Real Madrid and Juventus legend Ronaldo. Greenwood reportedly referred to Ronaldo as a 'dead' player — a term colloquially used to imply a player done at the top level — while the Portuguese was at Real Madrid. Ronaldo eventually returned to Old Trafford after a three-year spell at Juventus, where he played alongside the 21-year-old.

All the aforementioned charges against Greenwood were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February. However, the Englishman remains suspended from all football-related activities till Manchester United conclude their investigation.

Additionally, the report also claims that Greenwood never shied away from telling off his teammates and calling them 's**t' during his time at the academy. The club reportedly warned Greenwood to watch his language and were displeased with his attitude during his academy days.

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Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes plays down Cristiano Ronaldo's comments

Portugal vs Uruguay: Group H - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

It appears that Greenwood wasn't the only Manchester United player to undermine Cristiano Ronaldo. Albeit in a far different context, Bruno Fernandes recently played down CR7's verdict on life under new Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

The 38-year-old described Martinez's influence as a 'breath of fresh air' and praised his mentality after the Selecao's wins against Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. However, Fernandes publicly disagreed with his captain, saying,

"There’s no breath of fresh air at all."

He added:

"It’s just a transitional period. The atmosphere in the national team has always been good. There are new dynamics, a new coach, and we have to assimilate his ideas."

Fernandes will return to action for the Red Devils when they travel to St. James' Park in the Premier League. Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lead his club side against Al-Adalah on Wednesday (March 29).