Cristiano Ronaldo could make a shock return to Manchester United as a coach or manager, according to his former teammate Louis Saha.

Ronaldo's name is forever linked with United due to his incredible first spell at Old Trafford. However, his second stint was less fruitful, culminating in a controversial departure following an infamous interview with Piers Morgan.

Ronaldo is currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and will turn 40 next year. His future plans, both at the club level and internationally ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, remain unconfirmed.

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Despite his notorious 'coaching' from the sidelines during Portugal's Euro 2016 final victory, Ronaldo has not publicly expressed any interest in a managerial career. Yet, this hasn't stopped Saha from envisioning him in the dugout, potentially at Old Trafford.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has the passion and dedication to return to Manchester United one day," Saha shared with TVSporten. "That could be as a coach or even a manager.

"His second spell didn't end how everyone had hoped, and you can see why that frustrated him. He didn't see the same formula and didn't see the passion from young players that he had been used to seeing."

Ronaldo's second spell at United was tumultuous, marked by playing under three different managers and criticising the club and its hierarchy before his release in November 2022. The legendary forward's interview with Morgan was the catalyst for his departure from United, with his criticism of Erik ten Hag and the club's younger players being the final straw.

Despite this, Ronaldo managed to net 27 goals in 54 matches in his second stint, after scoring 118 goals on the way to Premier League and Champions League success in his first spell. He has since been thriving at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, scoring an impressive 35 goals in his debut season.

While he is expected to remain at Al Nassr for the current campaign, his plans beyond that are uncertain. Former United colleague Saha believes Ronaldo could transition into coaching, provided he refines some of his interpersonal skills.

"Now he will know that he needs to find a new way to communicate when he becomes a coach," Saha added. "Which maybe isn't as harsh or direct as it was when he was at the club.

"He will work out how to be successful and use all his knowledge to do that; we've seen Roy Keane go into management and have success. Cristiano will understand what he needs to do as a manager. I see no reason why he wouldn't be a success."