Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard admits he would “love” to see Cristiano Ronaldo secure a transfer back to the club.
The Portuguese played for the Red Devils between 2003 and 2009, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the first of his Ballon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo then moved onto a new challenge at Santiago Bernabeu with Real Madrid, where he reached even greater heights, earning four more Champions League winners’ medals while becoming the club’s all-time top goalscorer.
The 34-year-old is now plying his trade in Italy with Juventus and he has been typically brilliant during his debut season, but Yahoo Sport reports that he has been linked with a summer transfer since the team’s European exit at the hands of Ajax.
Lingard, who was still a youth player at Old Trafford when Ronaldo was in Manchester, is hopeful the Juve talisman will return to Old Trafford, as he told the Daily Mirror: “I would love to sign Ronaldo.
“He has been one of the best players in the world over the last decade.
“He has been here before so he would slot right back in.
“Growing up he was just unbelievable to watch in a United shirt, so on a personal note it would be amazing to play with him.”
The Man United star has endured a turbulent 2018-19 campaign, with the team struggling to contend for major trophies while slipping to sixth in the Premier League.
Club boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could certainly use some more firepower up front and Ronaldo has the experience and quality to reintegrate with the squad seamlessly, but a summer transfer seems farfetched at this stage.
As per Goal, the Portugal international told reporters after Juventus clinched the Serie A title last week that he has already decided to remain in Italy for at least another year, as he stated: “Will I be at Juventus next season? ‘Mil per cento’ (1000 per cent)”
Ronaldo would surely be welcomed back to Old Trafford as a hero if he ever were to return, however, it seems unlikely that Lingard will get the opportunity to play alongside the mercurial star anytime soon.
