Cristiano Ronaldo has issued an ultimatum to his existing employers, Manchester United, telling them that if the club failed to sign new players for the next season, he will quit the English giants, the Portuguese outlet Record claimed.
Ronaldo made a sensational return to Manchester last summer, after having spent six years with the former Premier League champions from 2003 to 2008. However, the first season of his second spell turned out to be a disaster, to say the least.
Not only were United ousted in the early rounds of the FA and Carabao Cups, they finished sixth in the Premier League table. To rub salt on their wounds, the Red Devils failed to qualify for the 2022-23 Champions League, meaning Ronaldo won't be able to compete in Europe's premier club competition.
On the other hand, Ronaldo's own performance at the club was quite impressive as he ended the 2021-22 campaign as United's leading scorer with 24 goals across competitions.
More than the individual success, Ronaldo wants to win trophies, something he had emphasized in an interview during the last season.
Though United have already taken the first step towards a rebuilding process by appointing Erik ten Hag as their manager, the 20-time English champions have been unable to finalize a deal for even a single player so far.
Notably, United have made attempts to bring the likes of Darwin Nunez, Frenkie de Jong, and Antony on board, but they have yet to succeed in their efforts.
While Nunez has already moved to Liverpool from Benfica, the cost of securing Frenkie de Jong's signature has been rising ever since United first approached the Catalans and according to the latest reports it has reached a staggering $80 million.
It is United's this inactivity in the transfer market, which is bothering the Funchal-born football star.
According to the publication, Ronaldo has told his bosses at Carrington -- "up your game or I'll leave".
Earlier, the former Real Madrid striker had hinted at completing his term at United, which runs through to the end of the 2022-23 season.
"I was happy of course to be back at a club that really raised my career. So it was unbelievable. The feeling when I (came) back again, it was nice to feel the supporters. The happiness of them is great. I was - and still am - very happy to be here," the 37-year-old footballer said in an interview with the Red Devils' website.
"I believe that Manchester will be where they belong. As I've said before, sometimes it takes time but I still believe. The records are coming in a natural way. I don't follow the records but the records follow me. So it's good," he concluded.