Cristiano Ronaldo privately tells closest friends that his ‘body may be slowing down’ amidst Manchester United frustration: Reports
Reports claim Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has privately told close friends that he could soon leave the Premier League side as his 'body may be slowing down'.
The United forward, who rejoined the club back in 2021 from Juventus, turned 37 on Wednesday and has reportedly told his closest friends he could leave Old Trafford.
The Sun reports that Ronaldo is unimpressed by Manchester United's decline and the tumultuous season has impacted his form. The Portugal captain is not familiar with failure having found huge success at every club he has played for.
Cristiano Ronaldo has become disillusioned with life at Man Utd and is plotting showdown talks with his agent over his future, according to newspaper reports 🤯 https://t.co/KuOG8UQOUR
During his first spell at United, Ronaldo began to cement his place amongst the greats in the sport. The forward inspired the Old Trafford outfit to three Premier League titles during that period before his record-breaking £80 million transfer to Real Madrid.
United's decline this season has irked the forward so much that he is reportedly willing to cut his two-year contract at Old Trafford short in search of more success.
Was Ronaldo's second spell at Manchester United always going to end in tears?
When news broke of the striker's return to Manchester United last year, many had predicted the side would challenge for trophies. However, Ronaldo's signing was to the detriment of then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian's style of play was hampered by the need to build the side around their number seven.
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most number of Uefa Awards in football history. 🐐 https://t.co/ArExGC3BxQ
The striker made a good start to his second spell at the club, saving Solskjaer on numerous occasions. However, the four-time Balon d'Or winner's lack of pace in recent times has seen him go missing on numerous occasions.
Jadon Sancho was regarded as the blockbuster signing that was going to transform the United team. Instead, Ronaldo's transfer has led to United's squad becoming imbalanced, with Solskajer's vision out the window.
The Portugal star's drop-off in recent games, most notably his poor performance against Championship side Middlesbrough in the FA Cup, has only cast more doubts about his role at Old Trafford.