Cristiano Ronaldo out of options as he looks set to stay at Manchester United

Ronaldo stunned United by confirming he wants to leave this summer and join a club playing in the Champions League in the upcoming season.

Yet after being linked with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea and Sporting Lisbon, the 37-year-old looks set to stay at United and play for them in the Europa League this season.

Ronaldo – who returned to action for United in a friendly on Sunday – met with Erik ten Hag in recent days and again suggested he wanted to leave the club.

Yet United are reluctant to allow the Portuguese great, who scored 24 goals last season after his return to Old Trafford created a blaze of publicity last year, to leave.

Former United manager Alex Ferguson was involved in the talks with Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes, with Sporting Lisbon the only realistic option for Ronaldo after other potential suitors turned down prompts from Mendes to sign his star client.

“Ronaldo is still a great player, but he seems to unsettle a dressing room when he is at a club and that may be why top clubs are reluctant to sign him at the back end of his career,” former Ireland striker John Aldridge told the Sunday World.

“He has been linked with Chelsea, but I just don’t see that as a good fit, and I’d say he will end up staying at Manchester United.

“Even at the age of 37, they desperately need Ronaldo because they are a million miles away the best teams in England.”

United’s transfer spending might not be over for this summer, with Lisandro Martínez and Christian Eriksen the first big-name signings.

Next on his list may be RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko, after talks were held between the two clubs over a deal for the 19-year-old.