Gary Neville's comments on Cristiano Ronaldo criticized by Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Gary Neville for his recent comments on Cristiano Ronaldo. The Manchester United legend believes there is no need to claim that there is anything sad about the forward's move to Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo officially joined Al Nassar on Friday night (December 30) on a 2.5-year deal. Manchester United released the forward in November after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

Ferdinand, meanwhile, was not happy with the comments made by pundits like Neville and Carragher on Friday after the move was announced. The former Manchester United right-back claimed that seeing the legendary forward leave the club was sad.

However, speaking on BT Sport on Saturday, Ferdinand said:

"I want to touch on a couple of things; I've been watching the media and people commenting, a few pundits and all different parts of media saying 'it's sad, a sad way for him to go out'."

Hitting out at Neville, Ferdinand added:

"There's only one sadness from me, two sadnesses, the way it ended at Man United - I'm sad about that - for Cristiano and in hindsight, a couple of years, he'll look back and think it could've been handled differently from both himself and the club. That's one sadness because you want it to end in the best way possible and things be remembered positively but it won't be in some people's eyes, that's a tinge of sadness."

Ferdinand claimed that Ronaldo joining Al Nassr after a disappointing FIFA World Cup is just a new chapter and there is nothing sad about it:

"The way the World Cup ended for him, a tinge of sadness, in terms of being on the bench, not having a huge impact in his last one, that's a tinge of sadness. But this next chapter going to Saudi Arabia, how do you look at that as a sadness? A sad way to end his career? I don't understand how people are saying that."

---

Manchester United legend in contact with Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo blanked Gary Neville at Old Trafford before a game this season and also took shots at Wayne Rooney in his interview with Piers Morgan. However, if the Englishman is to be believed, the former Real Madrid man has remained in touch with Rio Ferdinand.

Ferdinand claims he knows things that have happened in the background and says he is happy for the Portuguese ace. He said:

"Obviously I speak to Cristiano and there's things you have to keep quiet and you can't talk about before it hits the news. I was kind of aware what was going on behind the scenes and listen, I'm just pleased for him that he's finally happy."

Reports suggest Ronaldo will earn up to €200 million per season with the Saudi Arabian side, including commercial fees.