Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly desperate to have his future resolved before Manchester United’s opening game of the Premier League season this weekend.
The Portuguese star wishes to depart the club this summer in search of Champions League football with the former Real Madrid star still harboring hopes of claiming his sixth European Cup.
Arriving at training in his Rolls Royce, Ronaldo was photographed driving through the Carrington gates this morning, just days before the opening fixture.
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Carrington ahead of training only five days out from the start of Manchester United’s season
According to AS, the Portuguese superstar is determined to find a new club before United play their season opener against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
But he is running out of time and the forward may end up starting the new season at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo made his Manchester United return over the weekend against Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano, with the Portuguese playing for 45 minutes before departing the ground before the end of the 90 minutes.
His appearance in the pre-season friendly raises the prospect of Ronaldo being thrown in straight away against Brighton on Sunday.
Ronaldo wishes to depart the club this summer but made his return to the side against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend – though he only played 45 minutes and left the ground early
The forward did not travel on the club’s pre-season tour which went to Asia, Australia and then finished in Norway but could have an important part to play from the start of the season.
What was meant to be an important summer of rebuilding under Erik ten Hag has been somewhat dominated by the circus surrounding Ronaldo’s future.
Since it first emerged that he wished to depart all the way back at the outset of the window, various clubs have been touted to be chasing his signature before appearing to distance themselves.
Atletico Madrid, with whom Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes enjoys a solid working relationship, were the latest club to be linked but those rumours were soon squashed.
United themselves initially refused to comment on the saga, but have since clarified that they have no issues with the Portuguese. Their preference is for the forward to remain at the club this season.
Ronaldo, who only returned to the club last summer after departing in 2009 for Real Madrid, wishes to remain at the pinnacle of the game and lucrative offers from the Middle East or the United States do not appear to have piqued his interest quite yet.
Meanwhile, boss Erik ten Hag has been left sweating over the fitness of Anthony Martial just five days out from their Premier League opener.
The club have been left sweating over the fitness of Anthony Martial days out from the start of the new campaign
The Frenchman though was pictured driving into Carrington on Tuesday morning
The Frenchman picked up an injury in United’s 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in pre-season, leaving the pitch after an hour holding his hamstring.
Though his availability for this weekend’s clash with Brighton is under some doubt, he has been pictured arriving into Carrington on Tuesday.
Having fallen out of favour last season and sent on loan to Sevilla, Martial might have expected to depart the club this summer but he instead played a prominent role in pre-season and is likely to play a key role in Ten Hag’s plans moving forward.
Martial is thought to be set to play a key role under new boss Erik ten Hag this campaign
Goals against Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace have offered some encouragement that Martial could become a major player for United again after a number of seasons in which he struggled to match his early promise.
Despite United not wanting to let Ronaldo leave and Martial’s potential injury, Ronaldo’s agent, Mendes, is still actively trying to find his client a new club before the end of the transfer window and will do ‘everything he can’ to make a move happen.
Reports have persisted all summer that Ronaldo wants to play at the highest level he can in the winter of his career.
Ronaldo with his super agent Jorge Mendes left) as he returned to Man United last week
United’s seventh place finish last season does not afford him that, but finding Ronaldo a new suitor has proven harder work that perhaps Mendes imagined.
But just last week, Ronaldo had a pretty cryptic response to a fan account on Instagram, where he hit out at the media amid intense speculation over his next destination.
‘Impossible not to talk about me one day,’ Ronaldo wrote. ‘Otherwise the press makes no money. You know that if you don’t lie you can’t get people’s attention. Keep going that one day you get some news right.’
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