Manchester United attacker Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly held private discussions with Sir Alex Ferguson over his future at Old Trafford.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has starred in a faltering Man United side with 24 goals and three assists in 38 appearances this term, with 18 of those strikes coming in the Premier League.
However, the Red Devils' hopes of Champions League qualification for next season are now officially over following a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Ralf Rangnick's side can no longer finish higher than sixth in the Premier League table, and they are still at risk of dropping out of the European places entirely as West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers seek to usurp them.
Ronaldo penned a two-year deal at Man United when he made a sensational return to the club in the summer of 2021, and the contract also possesses the option of an additional 12 months.
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Man United's disappointing form this term has led to talk of Ronaldo trying to secure a move elsewhere this summer, although incoming manager Erik ten Hag supposedly wants to keep hold of the Portugal international.
Furthermore, The Mirror reports that Ronaldo has enjoyed regular catch-ups with former manager Ferguson throughout the season, and the topic of his Man United future has been a regular talking point.
The report claims that the pair have frequently visited each other's Cheshire homes to dissect the Red Devils' issues this term, but Ferguson is still keen for Ronaldo to remain at the club.
The 80-year-old supposedly wants Ronaldo to "protect his legacy" by remaining at the club for at least another 12 months after he played an instrumental role in bringing the 37-year-old back to the Theatre of Dreams.
Ronaldo spent six years under Ferguson's tutelage after arriving at Man United as a teenager in 2003 and won the 2008 Ballon d'Or while in the company of the Red Devils.
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The Portuguese's first spell at Man United saw him amass 118 goals and 68 assists in 292 games for the club under Ferguson, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup in Manchester.
However, the Europa League is the best that Rangnick's side can now hope for ahead of their final fixture of the season, which sees them lock horns with Crystal Palace on May 22.
Rangnick will move into a consultancy role when his time in the dugout comes to an end, and the German expects a summer overhaul to bring "six or eight" new players to the club.
"There is already at least something like a number of players that are really top players for this club but as I said we need all the other areas. [I] suppose there will be six or eight new players. They should be top players to strengthen the quality of the squad," Rangnick told reporters.
Ronaldo's 18 top-flight strikes this season places him third in the race for the Golden Boot, with only Mohamed Salah (22) and Son Heung-min (20) ahead of him.
While Ronaldo's time at Old Trafford may not be over just yet, the Red Devils will wave goodbye to soon-to-be free agent Edinson Cavani and are also being tipped to cash in on out-of-favour duo Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
Ben Knapton
