Cristiano Ronaldo transfer news: Manchester City players 'firmly believe' club will make a move for Real Madrid star in the summer

Sky Sports' pundit Graham Hunter claims members of the City squad are convinced the Premier League club are in a position to make a bid for Ronaldo

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

Manchester City players are said to “firmly believe” they will make a move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo despite the Portuguese’s strong links to fierce rivals Manchester United and Real Madrid’s huge reluctance not to sell the best player in the world.

Ronaldo collected his second consecutive Ballon d’Or award at the start of the year to confirm his current reputation as the best in the world, but his time at Real has not come without its speculation.

There were intense reports last season that he would return to Manchester United in the summer of 2014 after becoming frustrated with their form, although any talk of a dramatic exit was soon completely dismissed when he agreed a new contract and went on to lift a second Champions League trophy having won in 2008 with United.

However, according to Sky Sports’ Graham Hunter, members of the City squad believe the club will look to solve their alarming dip in form this season and make a mega-money move for Ronaldo in the summer.

Speaking on Revista de La Liga, Hunter said: "I know that the players at Manchester City were talking very, very firmly that they believed there was a successful move coming from that club over the last couple of weeks.

"Whether that makes it true or not, I wouldn't like to say.

"What we know is the mega clubs, with petrodollars, there's never been a better time to say: 'Well, would you like to cash in on your chips?'"

City manager Manuel Pellegrini recently admitted that he would like to add a “crack” player on the level of Sergio Aguero, although Ronaldo would certainly come as a step above that quality that the Chilean wants to add to his squad.

What Hunter was quick to add though is that the ultimate decision would lie with Ronaldo himself, his reputation giving him a certain bargaining power that few – if any – players would hold when it came to discussing their future.

"Ultimately, it will always be down to the player,” added Hunter. “When you are No 1 in the world, he will decide.

"I don't think he has decided to leave yet."

Ronaldo scored in the 2-1 defeat to Barcelona (Getty Images)

Ronaldo will have bigger worries at hand to deal with before he can look at his future though, as the El Clasico defeat last weekend capped what has been an alarming slump in Real’s form since the turn of the year that has also seen Roanldo’s goal strike-rate slow from his usual high standards.

With Real four points off Barcelona at the top of La Liga and facing a tough Champions League quarter-final against rivals Atletico Madrid, Ronaldo will hope to return to his unstoppable ways just as much as the club will want to address their form and convince Ronaldo his future remains in the Spanish capital.