Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United may be up in the air, but another Old Trafford icon has given him some advice about whether he should remain at the club next season - as he hailed the supporters for their loyalty.
United's failure to secure a Champions League place means Ronaldo is facing the prospect of a season without playing in European football's elite club competition for the first time in 20 years.
But United icon David Beckham, from whom Ronaldo inherited the club's famous No.7 shirt, has called for the 37-year-old to stay at Old Trafford for at least one more season. Beckham said: "Obviously, Cristiano is one of the best players over the last 15 years, with Lionel Messi.
"To see him stay, hopefully staying on at United, is important for the fans. I think it's important to him. We all know how much Manchester United means to him. He's still doing what he does best, scoring goals and creating and that's what Cristiano does, even at his age. To be doing what he's doing is really incredible. Hopefully, it continues and, hopefully, he stays for another year or two."
This summer sees the start of a new era at United, with the arrival of Erik ten Hag as head coach, with Beckham welcoming the major changes under way at his former club. He told Sky Sports: "I think there are changes to be made and changes are happening. It’s a tough end to the season but it's the end and I’m sure a lot of fans are thankful for that, as it's been a tough one, full of ups and downs.
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"They still turn up at the stadium. I turned up a few months back and every seat was filled. So the fans still believe, they still support and will always turn up for the team. It's what United fans do. There are not many other teams who could have gone through what they've gone through in the last few years, and still be filling out the stadium. It says a lot of the fans and what they believe in."
United have one game left, away to Crystal Palace on the last day of the season, but will post their lowest points total of the Premier League era this year. The Red Devils are currently on 58 points, meaning the best they can do is 61, three short of the previous lowest total of 64, set in the 2013-14 season, under the ill-fated tenure of David Moyes.
