Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United: Ronaldo will NEVER return to United because he'll retire at Real Madrid, claims his agent

'Super-agent' Jorge Mendes believes Ronaldo could remain with Real until he is 40

Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has dealt a blow to Manchester United’s hopes of taking the Portuguese star back to Old Trafford by insisting the Ballon d’Or holder will finish his playing career at Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old has been linked with a return to the Premier League giants over the summer and refused to pour cold water over the reports. After a pre-season friendly between Madrid and United in the United States he said that “Manchester is in my heart” and “I wish I could come back one day”. Louis van Gaal has also revealed he would be keen to sign the record-breaking forward but admitted doubts over Madrid’s willingness to sell their talisman.

Now Mendes, the super agent who took both Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao to Manchester, confirmed the Dutchman’s doubts. In an interview with Spanish television programme ‘El Partido de las 12’ on Wednesday night he said Ronaldo is happy at the Santiago Bernabéu and that he expects his client to see out his career in the Spanish capital.

“Cristiano is very happy in Madrid. He’ll go on to beat all club records and he will retire there. He could play on until he is 40,” said Mendes. He continued: “He respects the Manchester United supporters who remember him, but there have been no offers because people know it’s impossible to take Cristiano out of Real Madrid.”

The Madeira-born forward has made a scintillating start to the season by scoring 17 goals in eleven matches, including 13 in his six league matches. He scored three or more goals in three of those matches to level La Liga’s hat-trick record of 22, shared by Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano and Telmo Zarra. His goalscoring form is such that he has scored more league goals per game with 2.17 than 91 of 97 teams in Europe’s top five leagues.

He is also closing in on Raúl’s European goalscoring record after notching a record-breaking 17 goals in one Champions League campaign as he guided Madrid to their tenth European Cup last season. Raúl scored 71 goals and Ronaldo is now just two goals behind after scoring in Madrid’s victory over Ludogorets last time out. He could break the record in forthcoming back-to-back games against Liverpool.

"As well as best footballer, Ronaldo is the world's best athlete,” Mendes continued. “You can't compare him with anyone. We won’t see anyone like him in 500 years.” He added: ”Ronaldo is a very humble and family-focused person. A spectacular father. He is the son any mother would want to have.”

Ronaldo has scored in every league game he has played in this season, including a 2-0 victory at Villarreal where a Manchester United supporters’ group hired a plane to fly over the El Madrigal stadium with a banner reading ‘Come Home Ronaldo’. The former Sporting Lisbon player revealed that he saw the banner but when asked about it said: “I’m good in Madrid.”

Ronaldo scored the 27th hat-trick of his career last weekend (Getty Images)

Last year he signed a new and improved five year deal that will see him stay at the Bernabéu until 2018, when he is 33. By then he is expected to have set a number of new records with the Spanish giants.

One of the biggest will be the club’s all-time leading scorer, a record which is currently held by Raúl with 323.

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will be pleased by the comments. The Italian, who has managed a vast number of world-class players during his time in the dugout with clubs including AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris St. Germain, said recently that Ronaldo is the best player he has worked with. "Without disrespecting anyone else, Cristiano is the best player I have coached,” he said. He also said that “without a doubt” the Portuguese will win this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the second year running.