Gabby Agbonlahor believes incoming manager Erik ten Hag may urge to leave this summer.
Ten Hag, 52, will take over at Old Trafford at the end of the season and will look to shake things up with the club set to finish outside the top-four in the Premier League this term and nearly five years without a trophy.
Since returning to the club, Ronaldo has scored 18 Premier League goals but he has been criticised for a lack of pressing up front with many ex-players tipping the Red Devils to sign a younger, quicker striker this summer.
Agbonlahor, the former forward, thinks Ten Hag will want Ronaldo to stay at United but anticipates problems if the Portuguese is not selected for every game.
Speaking to, he said: ‘I don’t think Ronaldo being there is going to be a problem.
‘What’s going to be a problem is Ten Hag is going to come in and say to Ronaldo “I want you to stay but I’m going to play you in the games I want you to play in, I’m going to bring you off when I want to bring you off. I want to choose a team to win a game and you might not be starting that game. If you show dissent walking off the pitch, I’m not going to play you”.
‘He’s got to have that power as a manager. If he doesn’t then it’s going to be another scenario where the player is bigger than the manager and the club.
‘There’s going to have to be a talk about it. If Ronaldo says “No, I’m not going to do that, I want to play every game” then maybe Ten Hag makes the decision and says “You have to leave”.
Despite being 37-years-old, Ronaldo has been a mainstay for United this season, making 37 appearances and scoring 24 goals in all competitions.
The Portuguese has another year remaining on his contract with the Red Devils but has been tipped with a return to Real Madrid as he looks to play Champions League football next term.
Speaking earlier this year, Ronaldo was critical of his teammates’ mentality and ambition following a dreadful season for United which has left them on track to record their lowest ever Premier League points haul.
He said: ‘I don’t want to be here to be in sixth place, or seventh place, or fifth place. I’m here to try to win, to compete.’
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