News has been going around for a while that second time club prodigal returnee Cristiano Ronaldo could be ready to walk away from Manchester United barely 12 months after his heavily-sensationalised return to the Red Devils, and it is said that United won’t stand in his way should he desire to leave as expectations are far from being realised for both club and player.
The harsh reality may have finally begun to dawn on the powers that be at Old Trafford insofar as the Portuguese striker is concerned and they are reportedly starting to accept that bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford has arguably done more damage than good.
Ronaldo had left Serie A giants Juventus in a huff last summer, and apparently with the club allegedly eager for their parting of ways and he received a stirring hero’s welcome when he alighted in Manchester. Not surprisingly, he magnificently dazzled and scored twice on his debut. However, seven months down the line, Ronaldo is reportedly at the center of a storm whipping up involving dressing room politics, lackluster performances and vicious finger-pointing.
According to the Sunday Mirror, Ronaldo could walk away again from United should the Red Devils not qualify for the Champions League next season. And it seems United will not stand in the way of the Portuguese star should he really desire to make his exit from the club.
Apparently the report claims that the sentiment developing in United is that Ronaldo has become something of a sideshow with results on the pitch far from what had been hoped for and expected for both player and club as his initial sterling contributions had long since begun nose-diving.
It had been hoped that Ronaldo could fire United back into serious Premier League contention, together with a positive showing in the Champions League.
Unfortunately and understandably, at 37, Ronaldo is clearly beginning to show his age with inconsistent performances becoming more common for the United side, often proving to be the weak cog in the hard-pressing machine that Ralf Rangnick has been trying so persistently to build since joining as the interim gaffer.