Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United future remains uncertain despite the star striker returning to the club for Sunday's friendly against Rayo Vallecano. After missing almost the entire preseason for United, Ronaldo was finally back in the lineup for the match against Vallecano, however, he was spotted leaving the game early after being substituted at halftime. According to Mirror, Ronaldo was spotted making an early exit alongside fellow Portuguese international Diogo Dalot, who did not feature in the match.

Ronaldo had teased his return to action on Instagram, commenting on a Manchester United fan account's post informing supporters that he'd be in the lineup for Sunday's game with a strong message (translated from Portuguese) saying “Sunday, the king plays.”

While Ronaldo was on the field for Manchester United against Rayo Vallecano, he certainly didn't resemble a king. The Red Devils subbed him off after 45 minutes. He was replaced Amad Diallo at the onset of the second half, and the substitute was quick to make an impact, scoring the team's lone goal just three minutes later.

While Diallo was snatching headlines with his goal on the pitch, Ronaldo was busy stealing the spotlight once again. He and Dalot were spotted heading for the Old Trafford parking lot before the conclusion of the match, in which Manchester United ended up drawing 1-1.

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Overall, it was a performance to forget at Old Trafford, for Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the squad. He'll certainly have some explaining to do after exiting early amid his controversial offseason, during which he's been practically begging to be sold by the club, though to no avail as Manchester United have received minimal interest in their unsettled superstar.

Various clubs have been linked with a possible move for Ronaldo, including Sporting Lisbon, where he started his professional career.