• Premier League

Ferguson would love Ronaldo to return

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he would love Manchester United to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford.

Ronaldo served United superbly in six seasons at the club, helping them win eight trophies, before heading for Real Madrid in 2009.

The Portugal superstar has continued his fine form with Real and his goals fired them to the Liga title last term. However, Ronaldo is reported to be unsettled at the Bernabeu and if he does leave - Ferguson would love to see him at Old Trafford although he feels he could be beyond the Red Devils in terms of financing the deal.

"I'd love to see that, but it's fanciful thinking really," Ferguson said when asked if Ronaldo could return to United.

"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.

"He may want to go to another club at some point in his career and I'd hope he would want to come here. But that's a long way off."

Ronaldo will return to his former club for the first time since 2009 when Real take on United in the last 16 of the Champions League.

In a match with numerous sub-plots, Ferguson will be pitted against his old foe Jose Mourinho and while the Scot is hoping to get the better of his rival, he believes the presence of Ronaldo will render the managerial battle insignificant.

"I don't have a great record against Jose so I will have to put that right," he said. "We have not had a really good European game for quite a while and this is a big opportunity to step forward in European football again.

"But the main focus will certainly centre around Cristiano. He has courage, like all the great players. Not in the sense of running into a brick wall but in the way they take the ball no matter the challenges. That is the best form of courage."

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