Ruben Amorim: 'Everyone at Sporting Lisbon likes Cristiano Ronaldo'

Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim said that "everyone" at his club "likes" Cristiano Ronaldo when asked about the Manchester United attacker's explosive interview.

Details of the 37-year-old's shock interview with Piers Morgan were made public on Sunday night, with the Portuguese criticising Man United, in addition to head coach Erik ten Hag.

The English club's former interim manager Ralf Rangnick and their all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney were also among those to be criticised by Ronaldo during the discussion.

The forward has now seemingly played his last game for the 20-time English champions, with an agreement potentially being reached to allow him to leave in January, six months before the end of his contract.

Ronaldo's first club, Sporting, are believed to be potential suitors for the striker, and Amorim has now reacted to the interview that has shocked the world of football.

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"I've been asked this question a thousand times. Ronaldo is a Manchester United player," Amorim told O Jogo.

"Everyone at Sporting likes him, there's not much to say. He himself says he wants to do things in peace to follow his future. He will decide his future.

"I won't be here telling you how things are for me. In the summer it became obvious that things don't all pass me by. There's the club, there's the structure. He's a Manchester United player."

Last month, Amorim ruled out a move for Ronaldo amid the ongoing speculation, admitting that his club did not have the financial power to bring the attacker back to the club.

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"Ronaldo is a top player. He is a Manchester United player. Everybody in Sporting dreams of the return for Cristiano but we don't have the money to pay his wages," the Sporting boss said at the time.

"I think he is happy in Manchester but is not playing so that is the problem. But I have my problems so it is Ten Hag's problem! I am very happy with my players, no problem at all at the moment."

Ronaldo started his professional career with the Green and Whites, representing them on 31 occasions, contributing five goals and six assists in the process.

The forward has now played 346 games for Man United during two separate spells, scoring 145 goals and providing 64 assists in the process.

Ronaldo missed Man United's two games against Aston Villa and Fulham ahead of the break for the 2022 World Cup due to an illness.