Age would not be an issue for Cristiano Ronaldo if he were to open the door for a return to Manchester United, says Dimitar Berbatov, with the Portuguese superstar being backed to remain at the top for at least "a year or two".
A summer move away from Juventus is being mooted for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract in Turin.
Various landing spots are being speculated on for the 36-year-old, from Old Trafford to MLS via a second stint at Real Madrid, and Berbatov believes an all-time great still has plenty to offer at the very top of the game.
What has been said?
Former Red Devils striker Berbatov told Betfair on the next challenge for his one-time team-mate: "Juventus are in a bit of trouble at the minute and it's looking like they may miss out on Champions League football.
"I've read that Cristiano Ronaldo will be leaving. If that is the case, I'm sure people connected to United would love for him to come home.
"He's 36 but with his shape and form, I don't see that being an issue for him if he was to come back to United.
"I think he will be looking for another challenge of a new place, he has done it at United, Real Madrid and Juventus, so he may want to go to a new club to prove to himself, but he may prefer to go back to United for a year or two.
"Sporting have just been crowned champions in Portugal and that is another possibility for him also."
The bigger picture
Ronaldo's mother, Dolores Aveiro, has said that she will be trying to convince her son to return to his roots at Sporting.
Juve, though, have been doing all they can to quash the rumours regarding an impending exit for a prized asset.
They have seen Ronaldo become the fastest player in their history to reach 100 goals for the club, with the evergreen performer proving that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The Bianconeri have, however, surrendered their grip on the Serie A title this season and endured another early exit from the Champions League, with changes now expected to be implemented on and off the field at the Allianz Stadium.
Further reading
- 'Ronaldo lives for goals & has always been a champion'
- 'Ronaldo's never been a leader & never will be'
- I want to play with Ronaldo - Neymar