• Premier League

Van Gaal: Ronaldo return always possible

ESPN staff
September 19, 2014
Fresh challenge awaits Di Maria

Louis van Gaal would be open in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United but thinks it is unlikely Real Madrid would sell the World Player of the Year.

Ronaldo has been linked with a return to Old Trafford and United, who invested a club record £152 million in the summer transfer market, could carry on spending. Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes Ronaldo could return to his former club after becoming disillusioned with life at the Bernabeu.

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Van Gaal, who brought in Radamel Falcao from Monaco, suggested he would always consider signing a superstar.

However, the Dutchman does not believe European champions Real would let Ronaldo, who has scored 257 goals in 252 games for them, leave.

Van Gaal said: "It's always a discussion in the papers, and I don't think the media shall buy Ronaldo.

"It is always possible, [like] what I said with Falcao, players like Ronaldo give a lot of extra to selection or to a team but I don't think Real Madrid shall sell him."

Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games for United before joining Real for a then world record fee of £80m in 2009.

However, the attacker was described as being "fed up" by Calderon, particularly with Madrid's decision to sell some of their star players; most notably Angel Di Maria, who joined United for a British record transfer fee of £59.7m this summer.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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