Monday 16 November 2015 14:35, UK
Juan Mata believes it will be "difficult" for Manchester United to lure Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford because he is "happy" at Real Madrid.
Ronaldo spent six seasons at Old Trafford between 2003 and 2009, winning nine trophies, including the Champions League in 2008, and is still revered among United fans.
He has consistently said he does not know what the future holds for him, but rumours of a departure from the Bernabeu have continued to grow.
However, Mata, who moved to United from Chelsea in 2014, thinks talk of Ronaldo joining him in Manchester is premature.
"I think it's difficult for that to happen, in truth," he told Goal.com. "The respect and admiration that the people have for Cristiano [in Manchester] is incredible.
"You see it at the training ground, at the stadium, with so many photos of when he won all those titles there and did so well on a personal level as well.
"But it's complicated with him at a club like Real Madrid and happy there, which I think he is. He is a player who makes the difference in any league, obviously.
"But as it's very complicated at the moment, I prefer to focus on the players who are here, on playing well and achieving the club's objectives."
