- Title: Ronaldo returning to Man Utd would be fairytale - Ferdinand
- Date: 22nd June 2017
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (RECENT) (REUTERS) CRISTIANO RONALDO WAVING TO REAL MADRID FANS AT CELEBRATIONS AFTER WINNING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LONDON, UK (JUNE 22, 2017) (REUTERS) FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND DEFENDER RIO FERDINAND SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND DEFENDER RIO FERDINAND SAYING: "Listen, if Cristiano Ronaldo becomes available the best teams in the world will be queuing up to sign him, it's simple as that. I still feel that Real Madrid probably hold all the cards, it'll be down to them and it's still going to be their final decision, he's under contract, so if they decide to let him go because he wants to leave or because of the situation he's in in the courts or whatever it is, we'll see. But as a Man United fan I'd love to see him go to Man United."
- Embargoed: 6th July 2017 18:23
- Keywords: Rio Ferdinand Cristiano Ronaldo Jose Mourinho Manchester United
- Location: LONDON, MANCHESTER AND SWANSEA, UK/ ZURICH, SWITZERLAND/ MILAN, ITALY/FUNCHAL, PORTUGAL/ STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
- City: LONDON, MANCHESTER AND SWANSEA, UK/ ZURICH, SWITZERLAND/ MILAN, ITALY/FUNCHAL, PORTUGAL/ STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016MD2SZJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand on Thursday (June 22) said the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo returning to the Premier League side would be a 'fairytale' for fans.
The British media has reported the Portuguese striker could be on his way out of Real Madrid after being accused of defrauding the tax authorities of 14.7 million euros ($16.39 million) and Manchester United would be in the queue to sign him again.
Ronaldo played for the northern English giants from 2003 to 2009, when he left for Spain. This year he won the Champions League and domestic league titles with Real.
Ferdinand - who played for United between 2002 and 2014 said of his former team mate: "If Cristiano Ronaldo becomes available the best teams in the world will be queuing up to sign him, it's simple as that. As a Man United fan, I'd love to see him go to Man United.
"It's fairytale stuff, this is fans dreaming, fans have got to be allowed to dream. (He's) the best player on the planet at the moment."
The Spanish prosecutor says the Real Madrid forward knowingly used a business structure to hide his image rights income in Spain between 2011 and 2014. Ronaldo has denied the charges. ($1 = 0.8971 euros) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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