Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has heaped praise on Portuguese attacker Cristiano Ronaldo.

As Sporting prepare to take on Tottenham in the Champions League group stages on Wednsday, Amorim was asked about Ronaldo one day returning to his boyhood club.

The veteran's status at Manchester United is in significant doubt due to issues between him and manager Erik ten Hag.

"I don't know," Amorim told a press conference on the possibility of Ronaldo returning to Sporting.

"Everyone in Sporting dreams of the return of Cristiano, so I don't want to speak about that. He's a Manchester United player, a top player, and he will be for a few months.

"I'm going to respond the same way as a lot of journalists in Portugal ask me that question a lot. He is a Manchester United player.

"Everybody in Sporting dreams of the return for Cristiano but we don't have the money to pay his wages. I think he is happy in Manchester but is not playing so that is the problem."

Amorim added: "I have my problems with some of Sporting players so it is Ten Hag's problem!

"I am very happy with my players , no problem at all at the moment, so I just want to beat Tottenham."