Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed he wants to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford.

Van Gaal has been splashed all over the back pages of Britain's Sunday newspapers with his extraordinary comments, which came when he was directly asked about possible future transfer activity. "He plays on the wings and he is fast and scores goals. I don’t think there is a trainer in the world that doesn’t like him. Of course we would look," he said, when asked if he would be keen to sign the Real Madrid superstar.

"We are looking at all players, not just Ronaldo. But these players are mostly ungettable," he added. "With Ronaldo, let's wait and hope. There is no trainer in the world that doesn't like him."

Former United favourite Ronaldo left the club for Real Madrid in 2009, for a then world record fee of £80 million. He has since become the Spanish club's all-time record goalscorer, but suggestions have persisted that he would be one day open to returning to United.

Ronaldo turns 31 in February, and had an off-key game against Barcelona on Saturday night as Real lost 4-0 at the Bernabeu to their great rivals.

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