Man Utd Transfer Rumors: Club Ready For Cristiano Ronaldo’s Departure

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave at the end of the season if the striker wants to.

According to The Sunday Express, Old Trafford will not shield the Portuguese footballer against a possible transfer even though he has another 12 months of his contract, with the belief that his future may depend on whether or not they qualify for the Champions League.

Ronaldo may leave if Man Utd fail to reach the Champions League. Ronaldo has scored nine goals in 21 league appearances this season. The team's 4-2 win at Leeds on Sunday enabled them to open up a four-point lead on their rivals in the race for the Premier League's fourth spot.

Ronaldo has been outspoken about his aim for Man Utd. He seemed to have been disappointed so far since his return at the Old Trafford due to a series of defeats and weak performances by the team. He is reportedly planning to leave if Man Utd does not qualify for the Champions League next season.

The 37-year-old footballer recently ended one of the longest goal droughts of his career in the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last Tuesday. However, despite being in the fourth position in the Premier League, Ralf Rangnick's side are still under tremendous pressure from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Portuguese star struggled to score in consecutive games as his most awaited strike took a bit longer than expected. Ronaldo has faced a lot of criticism in recent weeks as Man Utd displayed not-so-good results in the league. Many insisted that Ronaldo's return to his home field did not contribute so much to the team.

Former Chelsea captain John Terry has snubbed Ronaldo as the toughest player he has ever played against in favor of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho Gaúcho. Terry answered the question on his Instagram account on Sunday evening. He responded to different topics related to his previous games. However, it was his answer to the toughest player he has ever faced that caught the eye of the public as there was no Ronaldo on the list.

Ronaldo is not only the Man Utd player to possibly leave. There are also questions over the futures of some players with contracts that run beyond the end of this season, including Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.