Cristiano Ronaldo wanted by old club Sporting Lisbon in sensational January transfer that will see Man Utd pay his wage

SPORTING LISBON are prepared to offer Cristiano Ronaldo a Manchester United escape route, according to reports.

The Lions expressed an interest in signing the wantaway superstar during the summer transfer window, but the Red Devils refused to sell him.

Sporting were also concerned about Ronaldo’s wage demands, which proved to be another reason for why the move failed to materialise.

However, the Portuguese giants are now preparing a new offer to put to the Red Devils in January.

According to The Mirror, in order to combat the issue of Ronaldo’s high wages, Sporting will offer a compromise.

The Lions will request that Man Utd hand the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a pay-off on a chunk of the £500,000-a-week wages he secured when he returned to Manchester in 2021.

The pay-off will enable Sporting to provide the bulk of Ronaldo’s wages.

United boss Erik ten Hag will have the final say in whether or not the Portugal skipper leaves.

But, the Dutchman has been far from impressed with him recently.

The pair came to blows last week after Ronaldo refused to come off the bench to play against Tottenham.

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Instead he stormed down the tunnel and left Old Trafford before full-time.

Ronaldo has been condemned to the substitutes bench for much of the season so far, so he is eager to find an escape route.

And Sporting Lisbon could be the perfect destination.

The forward joined the Lions at the age of 16 and spent six years with the club before moving to Man Utd in 2003.

Ronaldo’s mum, Dolores Aveiro, has already predicted that her son will return to the club one day.

She also believes that he will one day line up alongside his son, Cristiano Jr.

When speaking to a Portuguese magazine, Dolores said: “Cristiano has to come back here. If it was up to me he’d be back already.

“I already told him: ‘Son, before I die I want to see you playing for Sporting again’. 

“It didn’t happen this year but perhaps it will next year.

“But if it’s not him it will be Cristianinho. At his age he plays better than his father.

“When he was 12 Cristiano didn’t have a trainer but today he’s his son’s teacher.”

Ronaldo fuelled rumours of a return to Sporting this week when it was reported that he had spent £18million on Portugal’s most expensive house.

The property is located just a 40 minute drive from the Portuguese capital.