By Sulaimon Jamiu
Manchester United expect Cristiano Ronaldo to quit at the end of the season, sports website Football Insider has reported.
The 37-year-old joined on a two-year contract last summer, with the option of a third year, after making a sensational return to the club where he developed into a global superstar.
But the signs are growing that his second spell at United will be a short one. A source close to United told Football Insider that the expectation at the top of the club is that Ronaldo will leave at the end of the season.
It is likely to be a free transfer as well, with the vast cost of his wages – said to be around £25million-a-year – providing a huge saving for the club.
Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Porto are lining up a move for the Portugese icon as they look to lure him back to his homeland this summer.
Ronaldo has enjoyed a statistically impressive return to Old Trafford, scoring 18 goals and providing three assists in 33 appearances.
The highlights have included six Champions League goals as well as a matchwinning hat-trick in the Premier League win over Tottenham before the international break. But even Ronaldo’s biggest admirers would accept he has not improved a team that finished second in last season’s top flight.
There has also been criticisms about his defensive work and how his personality has inhibited teammates.
United have struggled to deliver effective performances and instead relied upon occasional moments of brilliance from their big names to stay in the hunt for a top-four finish.
