Cristiano Ronaldo is set to be a father of six by the start of the next Premier League season after announcing that he is expecting to become a dad to twins again, trumpeting the news in bed with lover Georgina Rodriguez
Portugal captain Ronaldo and long-term girlfriend Rodriguez opted to reveal the surprise in a typically skin-baring social media post, lying next to each other with the veteran topless and his partner covered by a sheet.
The 36-year-old reflected Rodriguez's grin as he held up a scan of the babies, swiftly receiving congratulations from a who's who of celebrities and athletes, including the official account of his new club, Manchester United.
"Delighted to announce we are expecting twins," the pair gushed. "Our hearts are full of love – we can’t wait to meet you."
Ronaldo and Rodriguez relocated to north-west England when the club legend made a shock return to the English top-flight giants from Italian heavyweights Juventus at the end of August, with the Buenos Aires-born 27-year-old telling her fans at the time: "How I missed living in the UK."
The striker's youngest son, Cristiano Jr, was born in the US in 2010, and he had twins, daughter Eva and son Mateo, via surrogacy in 2017.
Glamorous Rodriguez gave birth to their daughter, Alana Martina, in November of that year.
Dolores Aveiro, Ronaldo's mother, responded: "May these grandchildren come with health, which is what matters most."
The news appears to mark a happier turn of events for Ronaldo after he was reportedly ordered to demolish part of a multi-million dollar mansion he owns in his homeland earlier this week.
Local authorities have given Ronaldo until March to make the required changes to the property, according to Marca.
The outlet namechecked local mayor Manuel Tibo as saying that Ronaldo went beyond the agreed outline for the development.
"He presented us with a project that was approved," the official was quoted to have said, adding: "But then he also built outside of the permitted limits."
United and Ronaldo are enduring a period as lean as his washboard abdominal muscles on the pitch, suffering a 5-0 hammering at home to familiar rivals Liverpool on Sunday that was their third defeat of a four-match winless run.
Despite scoring six times to become top scorer at United since he rejoined the club, Ronaldo has now gone four league games without a goal.
The Red Devils are about to begin a testing run of three matches in seven days that could prove make-or-break for the future of embattled manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
That starts with a trip to Spurs on Saturday, continues at Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday and concludes with the visit of reigning Premier League champions and arch-rivals Manchester City.
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