Gary Neville admits Sir Alex Ferguson signing "finished his career" at Man Utd

Gary Neville has hinted that he has some sympathy with Cristiano Ronaldo, recalling the moment he knew his own Manchester United career was coming to an end.

Neville played both before and after Ronaldo's first stint at Old Trafford, making more than 600 appearances over a near 20-year playing career. During that time he faced a number of battles for his right-back berth, before ultimately accepting defeat and hanging up his boots in 2011.

Despite still having plenty to offer in the game, Ronaldo's own United career looks to be traversing to an inevitable conclusion with crisis talks planned with boss Erik ten Hag. The 37-year-old was banished from first-team training and then the subsequent trip to Chelsea after he reportedly refused to come off the bench during the win over Tottenham.

The disagreement was then made public when Ronaldo decided to walk down the tunnel moments before the final whistle had been blown. Ten Hag insisted the matter would be dealt with internally with a two-week fine and a temporary suspension imposed.

The two parties are set to meet on Tuesday with the aim of reaching an amicable solution to an increasingly hostile working environment. Neville has advocated for United to end their arrangement with the former Real Madrid superstar and to allow both sides to shake hands and move on.

The breakdown in relationship has stemmed from a realisation that Ten Hag - who was appointed at the start of the summer - does not see the veteran as a viable starting option. No longer the speedster which terrorised football during his earlier days, Ronaldo has become a more archetypal No.9 - a role Ten Hag seemingly has little use for.

And Neville has drawn parallels between the latter stages of his own time at the club, pointing to the arrival of Brazilian full-back Rafael da Silva as the crystallising moment for his need to retire. Sir Alex Ferguson brought Rafael, along with his twin brother Fabio to United in 2008, where he would eventually usurp Neville due mainly to his extra athletic qualities.

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, he said: "There were moments in my career where I thought, 'Rafael's gone in, John O'Shea's gone in, Wes Brown's gone in'.

"I watched Brown play a full season and win the Champions League. [Brown] He's a great lad, brilliant player, and I was delighted for him, [but] of course I wanted to be in the team, of course I wanted to be out there and be captain, but I wasn't.

"Then Rafael came into training. It was Rafael who actually finished my career mentally, in some ways, because I used to watch him in training, get close to players and snap into tackles, and then get up and get back out there again, and I couldn't get my legs forward. I thought, 'I get it, I see it'."

Ten Hag has insisted that Ronaldo remains a part of his plan long-term and that his axing from the squad was a one-time arrangement. However, speculation continues to mount that the Portuguese could leave United in the upcoming January window - potentially on a free transfer.

"I hope he leaves next week so they can shake hands," Neville added. "I hope he leaves next week and says to the club thank you very much and the club says to him thank you very much and then he goes and finds a new club because I'd like to see him go and play until he's 42 scoring a thousand goals.

"I know it sounds crazy but you can be a better team without players who are just goalscorers, and that's happened time and time again.

"Mark Hughes wasn't the greatest goalscorer in the world but within you're a better team then with someone you can't hit or can't play off. Cristiano has just become a natural goalscorer - plays within the width of the box - Erik ten Hag doesn't want to play that way."

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