Cristiano Ronaldo wants to ‘come home’ to Manchester United

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken of his wish to permanently return to play for Manchester United.

The Sun on Sunday report that the Portuguese goalscorer has confided in friends and ex-United team-mates that he would welcome a move back to his former club.

Talk of an exit from the Spanish heavyweights is never too far away, with CR7 most recently linked with a move to oil-rich French side Paris Saint-Germain.

News of Ronaldo’s United plans come in the same week as his current club Real were pitted against the Premier League leaders in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Sir Alex Ferguson was just yesterday asked about a potential return for the 27-year-old, for which he replied: “I’d love to see that, but it’s fanciful thinking really.”

Fergie continued skeptically by adding: “First of all, how much it would take to get him from Real Madrid? And secondly, I don’t think there’s any chance they would want to sell him anyway.

“But you never know. I don’t know when his contract finishes.”

There is more than enough desire from the United manager to bring back his favourite son, although the numbers involved in any potential deal are improbably high.

Ronaldo’s Real Madrid contract contains a £800m release clause, while his salary is thought to be over £200,000 per week and is set to run for another two-and-a-half years.

But if Man United were to put together a package involving a transfer fee of around £100m and a wage to satisfy the player then the biggest move in football could come to fruition.

With the Spanish giants keen on a move for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, they could be tempted to cash in on their hugely successful but often troublesome forward.

Ronaldo’s £80m move to Spain in 2009 has seen an expectation-exceeding return of 170 goals in 169 games, but he has not always proved a hit with the Madrid fans.

A club used to galacticos like Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Luis Figo and the Brazilian Ronaldo have not revered Cristiano like the United supporters did during his time in Manchester.

With Jose Mourinho often linked with switches away from the Bernabeu, it is not inconceivable to imagine the ‘Special One’ managing Ronaldo at Old Trafford one day.

But for now it seems like any transfer is on the far-fetched end of the scale, although the developing rumours will certainly make the two Champions League ties between Real Madrid and Manchester United hugely anticipated.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.