Wayne Rooney sends clear Cristiano Ronaldo transfer message to Manchester United

Former striker Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United should grant Cristiano Ronaldo his wish and let him leave Old Trafford this summer, suggesting that they should focus on their long-term plans instead.

Ronaldo, who returned to United almost a year ago from Italian giants Juventus, wants to leave the club in pursuit of Champions League football. United finished sixth in the Premier League last season, and will compete in the Europa League this term.

Relegation to the Europa League has meant that United's players have been forced to accept a 25 per cent reduction in their salaries - something, the Manchester Evening News understands, Ronaldo is "upset" about. He has been linked with a handful of big-name clubs, such as Chelsea and Bayern Munich, but they have since shelved their interest.

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It means that Ronaldo, who is out-of-contract at the end of this season, now faces a race against time to secure an exit, although United have always maintained their stance that the 37-year-old is not for sale this summer. But for former United captain Rooney, who is now in charge of US outfit D.C. United, the club should allow Ronaldo to depart, before replacing him with a striker who can become a key figure in their long-term plans.

"I think United should let Cristiano Ronaldo go," said Rooney, penning his column for 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