Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United took a gigantic step on Monday evening, when a Spanish soccer journalist confirmed that the Portuguese forward wanted to leave Real Madrid and that he is pining to go back to Old Trafford.

Real Madrid’s former chairman, Jose Calderon, has also joined in the discussion about Ronaldo’s future and he’s revealed that the disillusioned Portuguese superstar is “fed up” at the club and wants a transfer.

Calderon has now declared “When I signed him in 2009, I remember he said he was grateful to Manchester United. He had a marvellous time there, he likes everything. It is a really great club.”

He then went on to make the assertion that he feels Ronaldo is looking to move, and he then blamed the man who followed him as chairman in Madrid.

“My impression is he is fed up with the policy of the current president [Perez]. When he came with [Arjen] Robben, he thought he would be a good colleague for him in the team. Higuain was sold and he didn’t like that. Last year he thought it was a mistake to let Ozil leave and the last straw was selling Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria this summer.”

Calderon’s view was then echoed by Guillem Balague, who is a soccer journalist in the country. Balague told Sky Sports that Ronaldo “dreams of returning to Manchester United and that everything is in place for the move to happen.” This means that United are fully aware of Ronaldo’s interest and they have already set up the funds to make it happen.

For Ronaldo, being at Madrid has turned into a grind and rather than when he was at Old Trafford and “enjoying himself like a kid,” he now feels as though he is “working.” However, Ronaldo’s return to United will probably hinge on whether Louis Van Gaal’s side can get into the Champions League this season.

Over the last few weeks, it has become clear that Ronaldo sees his future away from the Bernabeu, and while there has been speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea and Manchester City, it’s always looked likely that he would go back to the club where he spent six hugely successful seasons between 2003 and 2009. In his previous spell at United, he won 3 Premier League titles as well as the 2008 Champions League trophy, while he was also rewarded for his on-field endeavors with the 2009 Ballon d’Or too.