Former Sporting CP youth chief Aurelio Pereira believes Cristiano Ronaldo could yet eventually return to Lisbon.

The Manchester United striker has been linked with Sporting this summer.

Pereira was in charge of Sporting's youth system as Ronaldo was coming through and is regarded as a coaching legend at that level.

He confessed the "pleasant surprise" of having "a generation of fantastic players" by his side. Then, asked about Ronaldo's eventual return to Sporting, he clarified: "He is far away and we have not exchanged impressions about it."

In this regard, however, he later stressed that "the future is green and this is a situation that can appear in time".