Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United Return Reportedly Would Cost £140 Million

The financial realities that would come with a possible move for Cristiano Ronaldo are fully becoming clear for Manchester United.

According to The Guardian's Jamie Jackson, a Ronaldo transfer would cost in the area of £140 million, which includes the upfront fee and Ronaldo's contract. Jackson believes that £60 million would go toward the transfer and around £79 million would be set aside to sign the reigning FIFA Ballon d'Or winner to a four-year deal.

Earlier in the month, Ronaldo talked about his desire to possibly return to Old Trafford one day.

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"I love Manchester. Everyone knows that—I have said it many times," he said, per Riath Al-Samarrai of the Daily Mail. "Manchester is in my heart. I left many good friends there, the supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day. I am happy here in Real Madrid and have four more years, but in the future you never know because they treated me unbelievably there."

United supporters are doing their best to try and tug at Ronaldo's heartstrings, going so far as to have a banner flown above a Madrid match pleading that the winger "come home," per Bleacher Report UK:

The idea that Real Madrid would sell Ronaldo at first seems crazy, but he's turning 30 in February. If the club wants to cash in on him, then it has to strike while the iron is hot and before the player's decline begins.

As Jackson points out, Madrid is roughly £400 million in debt, so selling Ronaldo would go some way toward easing that financial burden.

For the time being, Ronaldo's future looks firmly set at the Santiago Bernabeu. No club has ever repeated as Champions League winner, so if he could help Madrid pull off the achievement, that would be another massive feather in his cap.

Los Blancos haven't gotten off to a flyer in the league, either. They sit four points back of Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia after five matches. They can't afford to lose their most valuable player right now.