Cristiano Ronaldo considered returning to Manchester United

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he considered re-signing for Manchester United last summer.

The Portugal captain, who won the coveted Ballon d'Or award in Switzerland last night, left Old Trafford for the Bernabeu in 2009.

During the summer, rumours emerged that Ronaldo could make a sensational move back to the North-West outfit, but he instead opted to sign a lucrative new deal with the Spanish giants.

However, Ronaldo has revealed that former teammate Rio Ferdinand tried to convince him to leave Madrid for a second stint at United.

"I did think about United," Goal.com quotes Ronaldo as saying. "They are still in my heart. It's a club where I played for six years and I love that club. I have a lot of friends there and I wish them the best."

Ronaldo has now won the Ballon d'Or twice since his first triumph in 2008.