Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United to sort out the future of Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the new campaign. 

Ronaldo, 37, wishes to depart the club this summer after they failed to qualify for the Champions League last term. The club remain adamant that he will remain beyond this summer. 

Speaking to The Mirror, Ferdinand, a former teammate of the Portuguese, said that his future must be sorted out one way or another so as to avoid a 'hangover' for the club heading into the new season. 

Rio Ferdinand has urged his former club to sort out the future of wantaway star Cristiano Ronaldo so as to avoid a 'hangover' heading into the new campaign

He said: 'As players, you just want the situation ironed out and sorted out immediately. You don't want it lingering on and dragging on, I think Harry Kane had that with Spurs last year.'

He added: 'But I think the reasons are different. Cristiano, there's been issues behind-the-scenes with his family and health and stuff like that. You have to take that into consideration.

'But if the reports are true - that he's looking to move and what not - then you kind of want the club to nail that down so there isn't a hangover going into the season.

'I'd like to think - if you're looking at this as a supporter - this will be sorted out one way or the other.'

Ferdinand's comparison to the Kane situation will worry United fans, with the England captain struggling for much of the first half of last campaign having angled for a move to Manchester City for the entirety of the summer. 

Kane had only scored four league goals by the turn of the year. 

Meanwhile, Ferdinand went on to add that he didn't look too closely at pre-season results instead choosing to pay attention to the 'noises' emerging from the training ground. 

He said: 'I don't really look at results in pre-season. I've played far too many games in pre-season and lost and it had no reflection on the coming season. 

'I think it's more about the noises I'm hearing out of the training ground from the players, listening to individuals talk really positively - there seems to be a bit of a spring in their step now.'

United begin their era under Ten Hag at home to Brighton on Sunday August 7 before they head to Brentford before returning to Old Trafford to host Liverpool before they close out September by travelling to Southampton.