Manchester United suffer major blow as Cristiano Ronaldo asks to leave this summer

Cristiano Ronaldo has asked to leave Manchester United this summer in a huge blow to the club.

The Portugal international completed a dramatic return to Old Trafford last summer and ended the 2021/22 campaign as the club’s top scorer.

But United suffered a dismal season which culminated in their lowest ever points tally in a Premier League campaign and a sixth-placed finish, meaning the Red Devils will play Europa League football next term.

According to The Times, Ronaldo’s desire to play in the Champions League for the rest of his career has driven his decision to ask to depart, should the club receive a suitable offer.

The 37-year-old feels he has three or four years left at the top level and wants to be in the best position to win trophies and any individual accolades.

The report states that according to close friends, Ronaldo fully maintains his respect for United.

However, the striker has decided that his future no longer lies at United, given the current situation the club find themselves in.

In terms of potential destinations for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and a return to Serie A have all been mooted.

Bayern and Chelsea have discussed a move to sign Ronaldo, while United would want the fee back they paid to sign him from Juventus last summer – €15m (£12.9m) plus a further €8m (£6.9m).

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Bruno Fernandes was quizzed on his United and Portugal teammate Ronaldo’s future earlier this week.

The midfielder told reporters in Portugal: ‘Now we’re both on vacation and nobody