Carragher says Manchester United’s move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo made them look ‘like a small club’

Jamie Carragher has again criticised Manchester United’s move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo last summer – saying the transfer made the Red Devils look like ‘a small club’.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher claimed the transfer was ‘just to lift the fans’ like when Wayne Rooney returned to boyhood club Everton from United and questioned whether incoming manager Erik ten Hag will want Ronaldo on the books.

Considering how United move forward under Ten Hag after a disastrous season, Carragher said: ‘My problem has always been with Man United for buying Cristiano Ronaldo. One of the biggest clubs in the world should not be buying a 37-year-old. 

There are questions over whether Ronaldo, 37, will remain at United for another season 

‘I’ve always been of the opinion that they should move him on, but right now, there are so many problems – “I need to get a midfielder, I need to get a centre-back.” We’ve seen this season that when Ronaldo doesn’t play or gets brought off, it’s a massive story. 

‘If you bring in strikers, are they to play or back up Ronaldo? If you’re the new manager, you might think you don’t need that on your plate. 

‘They’ve got other problems. Would Liverpool ring back Luis Suarez? I don’t think so. United should be getting Erling Haaland. Man City are getting him. 

‘It’s like United are a small club. It’s like when Rooney went back to Everton. It was just to lift the fans.’

There was a huge deal of optimism over what United would achieve this season after luring Ronaldo to Old Trafford from Juventus amid interest from rivals and neighbours Manchester City. 

But manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November after a 4-1 defeat by relegation candidates Watford and Ralf Rangnick has been at the helm as interim manager for the remainder of the campaign. 

Rooney, meanwhile, left United and returned to Everton in 2017 after spending 13 years at Old Trafford. He spent just a season back at Goodison Park before joining Major League Soccer side DC United in the United States. 

Carragher compared Ronaldo’s return to Wayne Rooney going back to boyhood club Everton

Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot as United defeated Brentford 3-0 on Monday night

Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot on Monday night in the 3-0 victory over Brentford, his 24th goal for the Red Devils in all competitions this season.

But it has barely masked over the cracks at United. Monday night’s victory cements United’s position in sixth in the Premier League and no Champions League football next season also casts further doubt on Ronaldo’s United future.

Over the weekend, a report in The Mirror linked him with a return to Real Madrid, who recently won LaLiga under Carlo Ancelotti.