Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo’s future has been a subject of speculation for the entirety of the ongoing summer transfer window.
Legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo's future remains one of the most discussed topics in football since he expressed his desire to leave Manchester United to clinch yet another Champions League glory.
While several rumours are doing the rounds around the Portuguese superstar's choice of club for the next season, the 37-year-old appears to be focused on remaining in top shape in a World Cup year.
On a day Chelsea reportedly ended their interest in signing Ronaldo, the Portugal talisman, took to Instagram to post a photograph of himself working out in a gym in Manchester United's training shorts in Portugal.
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"Hard work," wrote the iconic striker, who reportedly turned down an offer of a whopping 275 million euros in wages for two years by an unnamed Saudi Arabia club.
Ronaldo's latest Instagram post has got Manchester United fans excited as several took to social media to point out at the 'familiar shorts' is indication enough that the prolific striker will stay at Old Trafford for the upcoming season. Here's a look at some of the reactions:
📰 Cristiano Ronaldo is putting in the work ahead of the new season 💪
Those shorts look familiar 👀🔴 pic.twitter.com/c7M3mPtS8e
It would be a great honour and achievement that everyone in this world would praise you for, if you stay at and help the team back to greatness. We need you ❤️❤️❤️ . This is not the time to say good👋🏽.
WORK HARDER 💪🏽
We are R❤️ d. https://t.co/Zv6yKNB1Tn
Run it back https://t.co/rPOiYCUDux pic.twitter.com/thFrEZ21Tr
— 🗣 (@utd_retired)Same day Chelsea rule themselves out of a move for Ronaldo, he posts this. First tweet since 24 June 😬 Hard not to be cynical sometimes isn’t it? https://t.co/6GZE43Fsac
— United Peoples TV (@UnitedPeoplesTV)Nobody in the champions league wants me i better whack my utd shorts on https://t.co/05ySitOVpK
— Deano (@Dean_o1986)He’s got the united shorts on too, he’s got our fans on strings 😂😂😂😂my 🐐 tho https://t.co/13ou1VpfLl
— Daniel🇳🇬🇳🇬YT: DanUnited TV (@danielogoun7)Very strategic post imo. And he’s got the United shorts on which is probably indicates that he’ll stay 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/S13RLf2ygx
— Aaron Cikaya (@aaroncikaya)Looks like Manchester United shorts to me 👀 https://t.co/0SNMyTh6iU
— soumya (@soumyacristiano)UNITED SHORTS https://t.co/W7ui9XHTd1 pic.twitter.com/aJLte8vR7M
— Kieran 💢 (@kieranftbl)He’s back 🐐 https://t.co/bhk5JIxQwk pic.twitter.com/Mr3gsILvB2
— 〽️ (@4amir_Utd)Manchester United shorts pic.twitter.com/2HJGOxUmKv https://t.co/FQzS5ebZSc
— 🎥™️ (@EvkProductions)He's wearing united shorts https://t.co/6VrX7AqU2m pic.twitter.com/ABz111GMWA
— 🎈 (@letkennycook)The King still reigns!👑🙌🏾 https://t.co/JMTgQzfGeD pic.twitter.com/wz37n2hlrW
— KING🤴🏾✨ (@Kingdy__10)Nice shorts 🥰🥰. He's staying https://t.co/zgCvm9rUMH
— Sancho's Wife (@Chrisveronica23)Are those shorts? 😉 We need you to lead United to glory again! https://t.co/3u7QkHMaPT
— 👀 (@UtdAmpire)In his first season back in England, Ronaldo scored 24 goals across all competitions, but United's haphazard defence, lack of advancement, and lack of forward momentum caused them to finish sixth and lose to Atletico in the Round of 16 of the Champions League.
The Portuguese player, who joined Old Trafford last year and has a deal that runs until June 2023, is reportedly dissatisfied with the club's lack of Champions League action.
Ronaldo reportedly lodged a transfer request, although the 37-year-old is in new manager Erik Ten Hag's plans and is not up for sale.
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Although he is scoring goals at a high rate, the Portuguese's inability to press has been considered as a major obstacle to integrating him into a modern system. Ronaldo has also received criticism for some of his performances from the previous season.
The Portugal talisman might have to get used to Ten Hag's system and stay in Manchester for another year since a transfer currently seems impossible.