I don't all this talk about loyalty. Loyalty and loyal players who stick by the club through thick and thin are a rarity. The club pays a player to perform. If he doesn't perform well, then the fans are entitled to voice their concern.
But lets consider a player who did what he was told to, performed well and justified his wages and the money spent by by the fans in supporting him. After years of service to the club, he decides to seek a new challenge. Do we have a right to blame him for that? Why are we expecting him to stay with us forever?
Lets not forget that loyalty is a two way bridge. If a player shows loyalty towards the club and the fans, isn't he entitled to expect the same in return? So how many of us, who cries foul when a player doesn't show loyalty, shows loyalty in return?
Lets take the case of Silvestre, he was a loyal to us, stood by the club even when he lost his first team place. This season, he was unceremoniously sold to Arsenal. How many of us cared? None. Why? Because we felt he wasn't good enough. Lets take the case of players like Giggs and Neville. They are the very embodiment of loyalty. But how many of said things like "Neville is finished" and "Giggs should retire"? A lot. Why? Because loyal or not, their performances wasn't acceptable to us.
My point is, when a player plays well, we cheer for him. If he doesn't he will be sold like a piece of meat like Roy Keane said. Where is the loyalty from our part? Aren't we hypocrites in demanding loyalty from a player when we don't show an ounce of it?
Lets say Ronaldo despite his dreams of playing in Spain decides to show loyalty and stays with the club. After a couple of years, he gets a serious injury. He is no longer the old Ronaldo, but a mere shadow of his former self. He is then replaced by some hot shot winger. Will we shed a tear for him? Will we return the loyalty he's shown to us? I don't think so.
There's no place for loyalty in the modern game imo. It's all about performances. If you play well, you are adored by the fans. If you don't, the same fans are going to boo you.
