Ronaldo tipped to leave Man Utd at the end of the season

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has said he expects Man Utd striker and Portugal International Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Man Utd at the end of this season.

Merson added that he would be shocked if Ronaldo remained at Old Trafford at the end of the season.

The former Gunners stressed that the Portuguese striker has not been a great signing for Man Utd.

Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick during the Red Devils Premier League 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur, returned to Old Trafford from Juventus last summer.

But Merson revealed he was not surprised by Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Tottenham.

“You never know what Manchester United’s team is going to turn up,” Merson wrote in a column for Sky Sports.

“I always thought the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t great. He gets a hat-trick on Saturday and everybody’s going mad, but put the ball in the box and Ronaldo will score goals. It’s simple.

“The header didn’t shock me one iota. He’s the best header of the ball in the world. He hangs in the air, but you’ve got to put the ball in the box.

“He’s not going to do two foot-overs, beat two players and then smash the ball in the top corner – those days are gone.

“But put the ball in the box and the man is the best finisher there’s ever been. You can’t score that many goals if you’re not a good finisher.

“Do I think he’ll still be there next season? No, absolutely not. I would be shocked if he was still there.”