Cristiano Ronaldo set for surprise Man Utd comeback?

Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo is being linked with a potential return to Old Trafford following his sublime hat-trick in the first-leg of the Champions League semi-final against rivals Atletico.

The Portugal has not looked in the same vein of form as in the previous seasons, but he has nevertheless managed to deliver the goods after having bagged eight goals in his previous three Champions League outings.

According to The Manchester Evening News, club chief Ed Woodward has had an eye on re-signing the forward for a long time, and his ambition could be visualised during the upcoming transfer window.

Ronaldo, now 32, has lost some of his pace over the past year or so, and he still found the net on a regular basis owing to his precise positioning in front of goal.

The Ballon d’Or winner inked a fresh five-year deal (The Mail) with Los Blancos earlier in the season, and this has apparently raised his value to around £100m despite his trailing age.

Ronaldo believes that he could ply his trade at the highest level for another decade, and he could be seen as a potential replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is due to be out for the first half of next season – following a surgery on a double knee injury.

Since leaving the Red Devils for a then-record £80m fee in 2009, Ronaldo has managed to amass 399 goals in 389 outings – more than a goal a game, whilst his stats this season are also to be admired with 35 goals in all competitions.

As of now, Ronaldo’s return remains a long-lived dream for Woodward with his arrival likely to boost the Mancunian outfit financially on the New York Stock Exchange.

Manchester United are currently competing for a top-four finish in the league standings which could guarantee them a place in next season’s Champions League. They could as well qualify for the elite competition by lifting the Europa League crown this term.