Rio Ferdinand keen to see Cristiano Ronaldo return to Manchester United this summer: 'My kids love him!'

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand says he hopes former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford this summer.

The Real Madrid superstar has been linked with a world-record move back to the Premier League, and Ferdinand would love to see him playing in Manchester again.  

'I hope [he'll return],' the 38-year-old defender-turned-pundit told the Manchester Evening News.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a move away from Spain and Real Madrid this summer

Rio Ferdinand (right) says he would love to see former team-mate Ronaldo return to United

'I'm a Man United fan, and my kids love him, so I hope that he'll be back. But will he leave Real Madrid? I don't know.' 

Reports in Italy this week claimed that United are ready to offer an eye-watering bid comprising David de Gea and a cash sum for Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata.  

United are said to be willing to place £183million on the table alongside their No 1 goalkeeper in order to tempt the Spanish giants into parting with two of their stars.

Ronaldo is understood to want to leave Spanish football after becoming embroiled in tax-fraud speculation and perceiving a lack of support from his club as a result.

The news of Ronaldo's potential availability has put United on red alert, with Old Trafford chiefs desperate to bring their former player back to the Premier League. 

Despite that, United are still wary of a move for Ronaldo, as reported by Sportsmail on Tuesday afternoon.

Ferdinand says his kids love Ronaldo and as a United fan, he would love to see him back at club

They are keen for the Portuguese to return, but one school of thought is that the player and his advisers are trying to force Real Madrid to take care of the issue with the taxman. 

And after a previous move for the player collapsed, United do not wish to become involved in another lengthy and potentially fruitless pursuit.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has been working on a list of summer targets – which does not include Ronaldo - for some time. 

Portugal's Ronaldo is reportedly keen to leave Spain amid speculation surrounding tax fraud