On Monday, reports from Spanish daily 'As' surfaced, suggesting Cristiano Ronaldo had made up his mind to seal a return to the Premier League, exiting Real Madrid to go back to Manchester United.
Even if the Portuguese superstar is in fact keen on linking up with former manager Jose Mourinho at his old club, added to interest shown by the Red Devils in recouping one of their most prolific goalscorers, his transfer from Real Madrid would prove to be beyond complicated.
First of all, there is the fee Madrid would demand for the 32-year-old, whose wages alone are hard to match for most clubs. As reported by the aforementioned source, these financial obstacles stand in the way of Ronaldo's return to England.
'As' also revealed that the Real Madrid star would require a yearly salary north of €50million if he were to leave the Santiago Bernabeu. A sum that would see him draw level with arch-nemesis Lionel Messi and which Manchester United are unwilling to pay out.
Alarm bells went off in the Spanish capital with the news of Cristiano Ronaldo's potential departure from the club. A return to Old Trafford is, if not mission impossible, almost.