Manchester United players knew of Cristiano Ronaldo concern seven years before Piers Morgan interview

Cristiano Ronaldo did not hold back with his criticism of Manchester United during his controversial interview with Piers Morgan in November of last year. The Portuguese ace slammed his then-manager Erik ten Hag, the club's owners and a number of his former teammates.

Not only that, but he also blasted the training ground.

The 38-year-old claimed the infrastructure at United's Carrington training complex hadn't changed since his first stint at the club. He spent six years with the Reds between 2003 and 2009, and returned to Old Trafford 12 years later after enjoying success with both Real Madrid and Juventus.

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However, Ronaldo was less than pleased with the lack of progress and investment he saw at the training ground when he made his return in August 2021.

During his interview with Morgan, Ronaldo said: "Nothing changed, surprisingly. Not only the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym. Even the kitchen, the chefs, whom I appreciate – lovely people. They stopped in time. It surprised me a lot.

"I thought I would see other things, technologies, and infrastructure. Unfortunately, we see a lot of what I used to see at 21, 22, and 23 years old. It really surprised me.

"Since Ferguson left, I haven’t seen an evolution at the club. Progress is zero. You have to tear it down and rebuild it. If they start with me, it’s not a problem."

According to reports, United were adamant that they had made wholesale changes to the training ground in recent years - suggesting the swimming pool area, cafeteria and main gym had all undergone a makeover. It was also claimed that the club were looking at adding more offices, a bigger gym area and a bigger car park.

However