Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss Manchester United's final match before the World Cup, meaning that he could've played his last ever game for the Red Devils.
The Portuguese megastar was absent from Thursday's 4-2 win at home to Aston Villa, with United manager Erik ten Hag announcing that he was ill. And it seems that Ronaldo - who still wants to leave the club - hasn't recovered in time for the trip to Fulham on Sunday, with the Manchester Evening News reporting that he hasn't travelled to London with the rest of the squad.
It's understood that Ten Hag will sanction the 37-year-old's departure once the January transfer window opens, having been reluctant to sell him over the summer. Ronaldo will captain Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar this month after receiving a call-up, and the Red Devils only have three matches between the tournament ending and the January window opening on New Year's Day.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner last featured for United in their 3-1 loss to Villa in the Premier League last Sunday, captaining Ten Hag's side for the first time this season. After the two teams met again in the EFL Cup on Thursday, the Dutch tactician offered an update on Ronaldo's illness.
Asked if the Red Devils' No.7 would be fit for the Fulham clash, Ten Hag admitted: "I can't guarantee that now and he was ill today. He can recover from that. It's not a serious illness that takes days or weeks. I think it is possible that he is available for Sunday and that he will be in the squad."
Even Ronaldo's former teammate, Gary Neville, thinks that the Portuguese megastar should find a new club in the new year, although he has one final wish after months of intense speculation surrounding his future. Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Neville explained: "Do you know I think he should do? I think he should actually speak No one has heard him speak for six months. You don't hear from him."
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The former United captain then praised how Ten Hag has handled the situation, adding: "I think he's handled it so well. I even thought Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] to an extent and [Ralf] Rangnick last season handle him quite well at times when he obviously wasn't happy. I think Erik ten Hag has handled it far better than most of us would have handled it. He's basically sailing the ship into the shore as I see it.
"I said a couple of weeks ago, I hope there has been a deal done that says in January you can leave. For both of them, Cristiano Ronaldo and the club. But they should make sure it looks really good until then so doesn't look like a mess. I am hoping this is what it is. He's playing, he's captain. It looks like they smoothed things over and then he leaves in January."
