Cristiano Ronaldo has Manchester United's blessing to leave Old Trafford in the summer, but the Portugal star is banking on them sticking to the word.
The 37-year-old is ready to quit United at the end of the season if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Sunday Mirror Sport understands that the Red Devils will grant his wish if he makes it clear he wants to go.
The general consensus inside the club is that signing Ronaldo was a mistake driven by both commercial factors and the determination to stop him from joining rivals Manchester City.
But Ronaldo will be hoping United doesn't have a change of heart as there is no clause in his contract outlining that he will be allowed to walk if they don't secure a top-four finish.
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It's an oversight on Ronaldo's part as he clearly didn't envisage United struggling to reach the Champions League group stages given their runner-up finish in the Premier League last season.
Man United were expected to take the next step and launch a serious title bid with Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane arriving at the club in the summer.
But that hasn't gone according to plan as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked due to the disharmony within the dressing room.
The Norwegian's successor Ralf Rangnick hasn't been able to eradicate these issues which have led Ronaldo to reassess his future.
Ronaldo originally planned to retire in Manchester after he sealed his dream return to Old Trafford, but that has gone out the window due to United's struggles.
The former Real Madrid hero reckons he can still play at the highest level and starring for a team who are in the Champions League is the bare minimum he expects.
United could at least claw back some of their money if they decide to cut their losses after handing the forward a £480,000-a-week contract that makes him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
The deal also included another potential £8m in add-ons - although United’s struggles on the pitch mean most of them will not be triggered.
Ronaldo came firing out the blocks for United under Solskjaer but he has struggled under interim boss Rangnick with his inability to adopt the German's philosophy of pressing from the front.
