Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that the decision to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United during his time as manager “turned out wrong.”
The Portuguese superstar returned to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 after 12 years away, and scored 24 goals in 38 appearances in his first season back.
However, United finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League, and Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Solskjaer admitted that he had doubts about the signing of Ronaldo even before he arrived.
“I was a bit concerned about the impact he would have on the team,” Solskjaer said.
“I knew he was a great goalscorer, but I wasn’t sure how he would fit into the way we wanted to play.”
“In the end, it turned out to be a mistake. He didn’t fit into the team, and he didn’t make us a better team. In fact, I think he made us a worse team.” Solskjaer added.
Solskjaer also revealed that Ronaldo’s return caused problems within the dressing room.
“He’s a very big personality, and he commands a lot of attention. That can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing.” Solskjaer said.
“In our case, I think it was a bad thing. He disrupted the team balance, and he caused a lot of jealousy and envy among the other players.” he added.
Solskjaer’s comments are likely to come as a surprise to many Manchester United fans, who were excited to see Ronaldo return to the club.
However, it is clear that Solskjaer believes that the signing was a mistake, and that it had a negative impact on the team.
It is worth noting that Ronaldo has also been criticised by some fans and pundits in the 2021/2022 season, for his performances and his attitude.
Ronaldo left Manchester United again in the winter of 2023 after a falling out with new manager Erik ten Hag.
He had been linked with a number of clubs before his move to Al Nassr, including Sporting Lisbon, Chelsea, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
However, he ultimately decided to join the Saudi Arabian club, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.
