Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at Manchester United next season, according to a new report.
Recent rumours in the press have suggested that the Portuguese legend is desperate to get away from Old Trafford after a disappointing season that is set to end trophyless.
However, according to Spanish outlet AS, Ronaldo is looking forward to the appointment of a new manager and has decided to see his two-year deal through.
‘The Portuguese star has decided to continue at Old Trafford and trusts in the arrival of a guaranteed coach,’ the outlet reports.
‘Despite speculation about Cristiano’s departure at the end of this campaign, the top scorer in football history is confident that the club is right with the choice of the next coach and reinforcements to aspire to win the Premier League and the Champions League in the next campaign.
‘The favourite to replace Rangnick is Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag … although the Manchester United leaders have not yet made any decision regarding the next tenant of the Old Trafford bench.’
The article also claims that Ronaldo’s relationship with interim manager has broken down but that the latter could be sacked by United, as covered in our earlier article.
AS’s claim that Ronaldo believes the new manager and reinforcements will allow United to ‘aspire’ to win the Champions League is a strange one, given that they are unlikely to qualify for the competition.
United need a top four finish in the Premier League but currently sit in fifth place, a point behind Arsenal who have two games in hand.
Chelsea, in third, are nine points ahead with a game in hand and breathing down United’s neck are Spurs, two points behind with a game in hand, and West Ham, also just two points behind.
Whether Ronaldo’s decision to stay is conditional on United qualifying for Europe’s elite tournament, which he has won five times, remains unclear.
