Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly made an 'irreversible' decision to leave Real Madrid, and the football world is now awaiting his next move.

When sources like the BBC and Marca confirmed the Portuguese wanted to quit the Bernabeu, it sent Manchester United fans into meltdown.

There are very few clubs who would be able to afford the combination of his transfer fee and wages, even if he is 32, which is why United seem to be in pole position.

The Chinese Super League remains an option, but a player of Ronaldo's calibre should be playing at the highest possible level.

A reunion with United would not only satisfy the game's romantics, it would also make sense.

Jose Mourinho wants to add a goalscorer to his ranks following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Ronaldo netted 38 times last season.

Of course, it's not quite as straightforward as that, and any potential deal still looks a long way off.

Besides, it's far from certain that CR7 will definitely quit Madrid. This isn't the first time he's been unhappy in the Spanish capital, and in the past, the club have always been able to brush their differences with the player under the carpet.

On this occasion, it relates to a legal case in which Ronaldo is accused of tax fraud amounting to £13million.

The forward doesn't think he has received enough support from Los Blancos officials, but it remains to be seen if he'll have a change of heart once things settle down.

Ballack has made a prediction 

Michael Ballack certainly thinks that will be the case. The World Cup winner has been speaking about Ronaldo, and he has made a surprising prediction about how the situation will pan out.

"I think it's an emotional situation right now… all I can say is he's playing at a fantastic club," he told Omnisport, via Sportskeeda.

"Real Madrid is a fantastic club and I don't see him at another club right now."

If Ronaldo ultimately opts to stay at Madrid, he will have to be careful not to burn too many bridges this summer, or the decision may be taken out of his hands.

Should Ronaldo stay at Real? Have your say in the comments.