Cristiano Ronaldo's half apology too late - Erik ten Hag wants him gone

Cristiano Ronaldo's apology for refusing to come on during Manchester United's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur has not convinced Erik ten Hag. The Dutch coach has had enough of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's tantrums, and wants him out of Old Trafford when the January transfer window opens.

Ten Hag was furious after Ronaldo not only refused to come on as a late substitute, but also walked off the pitch and down the tunnel before the final whistle. The Portugal international had left the stadium by the time the manager and his teammates returned to locker room.

The 37-year-old, who was branded a disgrace for his actions, was banished from the first-team after talks with Ten Hag on Thursday. Ronaldo will not be part of the United squad slated to take on Chelsea on Saturday, while also training away from his teammates.

"Cristiano will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday's game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture," a statement from United read.

According to The Sun, Ten Hag has finally run out of patience and will ask United to find a way to get Ronaldo out of the club in January. The club will have two options - either rip up his contract and allow him to leave on a free transfer or sell for a cut price fee.

The Portugal international is unlikely, as per the report, to play for the club again before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar next month. Ronaldo is expected to rejoin the first-team on Monday, but Ten Hag is not considering the five-time Champions League winner a part of his plans going forward.

Ronaldo issued an apology of sorts on Thursday, admitting that the "heat of the moment" got to him in a long post on Instagram. However, he refused to apologise to his teammates or the supporters for walking away before the final whistle - diverting attention from what was an impressive win over Spurs.

I've always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I've represented," Ronaldo wrote. "Unfortunately that's not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment gets the best of us."

Ronaldo walking half the length of the pitch before reaching the tunnel was a clear message of defiance. The Portuguese star has been pushing to leave Old Trafford since last summer, and is expected to continue when the transfer window reopens in January.