Real Madrid Transfer News: Cristiano Ronaldo Return Wanted by Sporting Lisbon

Sporting Lisbon president Bruno de Carvalho said it would be "beautiful" if Cristiano Ronaldo could end his career with the club.

Ronaldo came through the famed youth academy at Sporting before moving to Manchester United in 2003. With current club Real Madrid, he has developed into one of football's greatest-ever players.

Ahead of Sporting facing Real in the UEFA Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday, De Carvalho told Marca he is eager to bring Ronaldo back to the Portuguese club (via Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC):

"

Yes, without a doubt, I would love for Ronaldo to end his career here, at home. He represents a lot for us and it would be beautiful if he could end his career here. He is a world ambassador. He always speaks well about us and how fond he is of us.

We are making a great effort for certain players to return to the club. We already did that with Nani [who spent the 2014-15 campaign on loan at Sporting] and we will see that many times. 

He will play a great game against us and we will of course have to try to limit him.

"

It has been widely reported that the 31-year-old is on the verge of signing a new contract with Real.

Per Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror, Ronaldo will soon pen a new four-year deal in Madrid, with an option for a fifth, a move that would surely see him finish his career at the Bernabeu.

The forward himself has also said in the past that his "dream" is to stay with Real until he retires, per the Telegraph.

Premier League giants United—with whom Ronaldo won three domestic titles and a Champions League before his 2009 departure—have given up hope of re-signing their former star, per Samuel Luckhurst in the Manchester Evening News.

None of which is good news for De Carvalho in his bid to persuade Ronaldo to return to Sporting as a player.

The Sporting chief's fondness for Ronaldo is clear, and he told Marca he is looking forward to the three-time Ballon d'Or winner facing his old team again (via Garcia).

"It's going to be special to come up against him just as it's going to be special for him, as was seen in Ronaldo's face when he found out in the draw that he would face us," he said.

"We are playing against our boy and he is playing against the team where he formed himself as a player. It's going to be beautiful."

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Perhaps De Carvalho believes Ronaldo might rejoin Sporting at the end of his career for nostalgia's sake.

In all likelihood, Ronaldo will finish his career at Real, but it would be interesting to see how he reacts to coming up against Sporting again.

The last time he played against the Portuguese club, he scored in both matches between them and United in the group stage of the Red Devils' triumphant 2007-08 Champions League campaign.

It would be little surprise for him to repeat the trick for Real, but given the respect he still likely has for the club, wild celebrations should not be expected from Ronaldo if he finds the net against Sporting.