Red Devils hopeful that Nike can help fund a move for the Real Madrid star.
Sports brand Nike hold the key to a potential return to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to the Daily Mail.
The tabloid reports that United officials met the club’s kit manufacturer on Friday to discuss a deal to bring the Portuguese superstar back to Old Trafford from Real Madrid.
Ronaldo left United to join the La Liga giants for £80m in summer 2009, after six successful seasons with the Premier League club.
The 28-year-old has scored an extraordinary 161 goals in 154 appearances for Los Blancos and is widely regarded as in an elite class of footballer, alongside Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Despite Ronaldo’s astonishing form for Real, he has not always appeared entirely happy at the Santiago Bernabeu and the Portugal international admitted earlier in the season that he was ‘sad’ at some aspects of life in the Spanish capital.
Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford for the first time on Tuesday in Real’s 2-1 Champions League last-16 second leg victory, and received a warm welcome from the United faithful.
Depsite scoring the second goal for Jose Mourinho’s side, the forward was not at his best and his boss admitted afterwards that returning to United must have been difficult for the superstar.
The Mail reports that United representatives discussed the possibility of extending their sponsorship deal with Nike but funding a move to bring Ronaldo back to the club was also high on the agenda.
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