Cristiano Ronaldo's worst Man United fear may have been realised after Erik ten Hag appointment

Speculation over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Manchester United looks set to rumble on as we head into the summer transfer window.

The 37-year-old still has a year remaining on his deal at Old Trafford after returning to United last summer, and he has been a rare bright spark in an otherwise dismal season as he’s continued his remarkable goalscoring exploits. But that might not be enough to convince him to stay for that remaining year.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League, United could even find themselves dropping into the Europa Conference League on the final day of the season, with West Ham sitting just two points behind them in the table. Having finished second last year, they now face the possibility of finishing the current campaign as low as seventh.

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And that certainly doesn’t match Ronaldo’s ambitions. The Portuguese ace has already made his expectations for United clear, and the club are certain to finish well below them.

"I do not want to be here in a club to fight for sixth place or seventh place or fifth," Ronaldo declared earlier in the season. Five months on from giving that interview, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner finds himself preparing for a fight to finish sixth.

His worst fears have been realised, and even the arrival of Erik ten Hag as manager this summer may not be enough to convince him to stay. Ronaldo has suggested he is “excited” by the Dutchman’s arrival, while Ten Hag has made it clear he wants to keep the former Real Madrid star, but there's no guarantee that United’s predicament will improve any time soon.

While Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola remain in charge of Liverpool and