Mourinho: Ronaldo's return to Manchester United 'was never on the table'

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed talk that the club was looking to re-sign superstar Cristiano Ronaldo during the transfer window.

Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus in a deal worth €100 million this summer after nine years in the Spanish capital. Persistent British media speculation suggested the 33-year-old could return to Old Trafford, where he won the Premier League three times and collected one Champions League title and a Ballon d’Or in six seasons.

However, Mourinho, who coached Ronaldo at the Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, denies rumors that the Red Devils considered a deal for the Portugal captain.

“Cristiano was never on my table to say yes or no to Cristiano to come to us,” Mourinho told reporters Sunday, according to ESPN. “It was never on the table.”

Regardless of whether they discussed a potential move for Ronaldo, Mourinho and United did not find much success in pursuit of their summer transfer targets. The club’s board reportedly vetoed several of the manager’s defensive preferences, and it’s believed that Mourinho failed to convince Ronaldo’s new Bianconeri teammate Mario Mandzukic to move to Salford.

United will face off against their former superstar and his new team in the Champions League group stages this season. Mourinho’s men host Ronaldo and Co. at Old Trafford on Oct. 23 before traveling to Turin on Nov. 7.