It’s clear that the player wants to leave Old Trafford, so why don’t the Glazers and Sir Alex Ferguson tell him that he can bugger off to Spain and leave them to pick up the pieces?

Manchester United can demand a hefty ransom for Cristiano Ronaldo and start planning for the future without him. Yes, he’s the best player in the world right now and he will be a massive loss for the club. However, the champions have never been a one-man team and they have a squad brimming with talent, aside from their Portuguese star.

The Times reports that Red Devils assistant Carlos Queiroz is keen to smother the United number seven with ‘attention and affection’, although the fans would rather deliver a slap in his face right now. While loyalty is a rare thing in the modern game, Ronaldo had dropped enough hints during last season that he wanted to stay at Old Trafforf and supporters don’t like being messed around.

“Manchester United is very special,” Queiroz said. “Because of that we know how to surround Cristiano completely with all the affection and all the attention he deserves.

“However, not speaking is the most sensible course of action at this moment, so that we don’t contribute to a less-than-positive spectacle and so we don’t aid those whose interests are difficult to identify.”

Whatever Carlos, but why bother chasing after this little upstart when you can get squillions of cash and sign other top-class players, for whom playing in the red shirt of Manchester United is an honour? There are plenty around and Sir Alex Ferguson can prove to everyone that he hasn’t relied on Ronaldo to land the last two Premier League titles and last season’s Champions League crown. Unless they really are a one-man team?