Manchester United has said it has "initiated appropriate steps" in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s tell-all interview.

The Portugal forward sat down for a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan this week – criticising his teammates, manager and club.

He said he has no respect for manager Eric Ten Hag and said there has been "zero progress" at the club since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

He also hit out the club’s owners, saying they don’t care about the club and view it as a marketing vehicle.

"Appropriate steps"

In a statement this morning, the club said: “Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo's recent media interview.”

“We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.”

The Guardian reports that the club is now preparing to sue the Portugal forward for alleged breach of contract.

It notes that the player has been instructed not to return to training after the World Cup and will almost certainly never play for the club again.

Respect

In the interview, Ronaldo said he felt “provoked” by Eric Ten Hag.

“I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me,” he said. “If you don't have respect for me, I'm never gonna have respect for you.”

He also claimed that senior figures at the club treated him with suspicion when his daughter was sick with bronchitis, three months after her twin brother died.

“I spoke with the director and the president of Man United and they kind of didn't believe that something was going wrong, which made me feel bad,” Ronaldo said.

“I am never, ever going to change the health of my family for a football. Never. Now or 10 years behind or forward and it is something that really hurt me because they doubt my words.”

Success

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has had a turbulent time since re-joining the club – finishing last season as its top scorer but struggling for playing time this year.

In his initials stint, he won three Premier Leagues, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.