Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will quit the club at the end of the season, a year before the end of the contract he signed last summer.
That is according to a report from Football Insider, who claim the Portuguese superstar is fed up with life at Old Trafford and wants to find a club capable of competing for the biggest prizes.
CR7 re-joined the club to great fanfare last summer, 13 years after departing for Real Madrid. He has been one of United's better performers this season – hitting 12 league goals in 24 appearances – though, in reality, neither he or the team have performed as expected.
After spending big last summer, the Red Devils were expected to challenge for the title this term. Yet a poor start to the campaign saw manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked and replaced by Ralf Rangnick in November. The German has also struggled to get the side firing and will leave his role as manager at the end of the current season.
It was hoped Ronaldo could fire the club to glory this season, but the side have been knocked out of every competition and now face a battle to secure a Champions League berth for next term. Fail to do so, and Ronaldo is almost guaranteed to leave.
The 37-year-old has made no secret of his desire to play in the Champions League again next term and will ask to tear up his contract should United fail to qualify.
Football Insider also report that the club would be open to allowing Ronaldo to leave, with his astronomic wages not justifying his performances. Despite the goals, Ronaldo has been criticised for his lack of mobility and unwillingness to press from the front.
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