Wayne Rooney urges Manchester United to sell Cristiano Ronaldo

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Manchester United’s all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney has urged his former club to sell wantaway forward Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has made it no secret that he wants to compete in next season’s Champions League and is keen to join a club that is participating in Europe’s premier club competition.

Given the lack of reinforcements Manchester United possess in the striking department, Erik ten Hag and the club have constantly reiterated that our legendary number seven is not for sale.

Having not replaced Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood not being considered for selection and Anthony Martial ruled out of our Premier League opener against Brighton & Hove Albion, the need for the 37-year-old remains.

Despite being part of a woeful United side that endured their worst season in Premier League history, Ronaldo was the club’s top scorer with 24 goals in all competitions, 18 of which came in the Premier League – only Mohamed Salah and Heung-Min Son scored more than the former Juventus man.

Wayne Rooney urges Manchester United to sell Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes actively trying to find his top client the Champions League football he craves, several of Europe’s top sides have opted against pursuing one of football’s greatest players of all time this summer.

Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo for five seasons during the Portuguese’s first stint at Old Trafford, has called on his former side to sell Ronaldo and look to the future with younger options.

“I think United should let Cristiano Ronaldo go,” Rooney wrote in The Times. “It’s not that Ronaldo can’t play in a Ten Hag team. He can play in any team. Ronny will always score you goals.

“But my personal view is that United aren’t ready to challenge for the title now, so the aim has to be to build a team that can win the league in the next three to four years, and you have to plan for that.

“If the reports are true that Cristiano wants to leave the club, then United should allow him to go and get a No 9 in who is going to be there for the next three or four years and really help them build a team that can be successful. Ten Hag has to be given time to do it.”

The Portuguese international missed the majority of the club’s pre-season after being given compassionate leave for a family issue, but did play the first half of their final friendly against Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

With Martial ruled out of the clash against the Seagulls today, it remains to be seen whether the former Ajax manager will opt to start Ronaldo or bring him on from the bench.