A day or two after reports suggested Cristiano Ronaldo could be on his way back to his beloved Manchester United, a curveball of sorts has been thrown with Chelsea, apparently, joining the queue for the Real Madrid superstar.
Ronaldo recently suggested he would love a return to the Premier League after admitting Manchester United always hold a special place in his heart.
From those comments, inevitably reports sprung out saying Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes are working towards a move back to Old Trafford next summer, with Manchester United setting aside around £55 million for a deal which could also involve Robin Van Persie moving to Real Madrid.
However, now, according to the Daily Express, Chelsea have shown their interest after realising that Ronaldo could be available next summer.
Jose Mourinho worked with Ronaldo during his time with Real Madrid, and while everything was hunky dory for a while with the two, the relationship is thought to have soured during Mourinho's final season at Real.
"There was a bad atmosphere and it was a difficult period in personal terms," Ronaldo told The Sun late last month.
"There were situations with other players and also with the fans.
"Of all my managers, the only one I have a friendship with is Sir Alex Ferguson. But I'm not in football to have friends. I'm here to win."
While relationships in football can change in the blink of an eye – Cesc Fabregas now working under Mourinho being a case in point – it is hard to see Ronaldo playing for a Premier League club not names Manchester United. But then again, the same could have been said about Fabregas and Arsenal.
If Manchester United continue to struggle to compete in the Premier League, then Ronaldo might have a rethink, even if that rethink will probably be him staying at Real Madrid for the foreseeable future.
However, Ronaldo has also made it clear he wants to return to Manchester United someday, and with his career at Real Madrid, at the moment, going swimmingly well, it remains to be seen when, if at all, the Portuguese striker makes that move.
