EPL: ‘He’s been Man Utd’s heartbeat’ – Usain Bolt on Ronaldo leaving Old Trafford

Usain Bolt asserts that Cristiano Ronaldo has been the “heartbeat” of Manchester United and that he is aware of the striker’s recent criticism of the team.

After giving an explosive interview to Piers Morgan this week in which he claimed to feel “betrayed” by United and to have no respect for head coach Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo has come under fire.

Ronaldo is getting ready to represent Portugal at his fifth World Cup, and United has promised to take “appropriate steps” to stop him.

Ronaldo’s contract should be terminated, according to former United defender Gary Neville, but eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, a devoted Red Devils fan, would be sad to see him go.

When asked by Sky Sports on Sunday about the future of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Bolt responded: “Yeah, I’m sad to see him go, you know what I mean?

“It’s Cristiano Ronaldo, he’s been, as far as I can say, Manchester United’s heartbeat. He’s done so well for the club.

“For me, it’s going to be stressful to see him go, but I understand what he’s saying. I watched the interview, so I know what’s going on.”

Ronaldo led United in scoring last season with 24 goals across all competitions, but he has only had a minor role under Ten Hag’s leadership.

For United this season, the 37-year-old has made just four Premier League starts and has scored just once, in a 2-1 win at Everton last month.