Ex-Real Madrid president makes emphatic claim when asked if he'd favor Cristiano Ronaldo's return or Kylian Mbappe's signing

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has revealed that he prefers to see Kylian Mbappe join Los Blancos over Cristiano Ronaldo returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo, who plied his trade at Madrid between 2009 and 2018, has been with Al-Nassr since December. He reportedly earns €200 million a year at the Saudi Pro League club and is the highest-paid player in the world.

Despite the fat paycheck, there are claims that the Portuguese icon is not happy in the Middle East. Hence, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is reportedly considering a return to Real Madrid.

Los Blancos, meanwhile, continue to be linked with a move for Mbappe despite being snubbed by the forward last summer. The Frenchman was expected to move to the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer ahead of the 2022-23 season but signed a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) instead.

Calderon has said that he would rather see Mbappe join Real Madrid over Ronaldo returning to the club. The former Los Blancos president added that the PSG superstar reminds him of Ronaldo Nazario's early days in Spain.

"Mbappe is the future," Calderon said on Argentinian radio show Super Deportivo Radio (via Infobae) when asked to choose if he prefers to see Kylian Mbappe or Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid.

"It is time for him to arrive at Real Madrid. It reminds me a lot of the first time of Ronaldo (Nazario) in Spain. I am in love with Mbappe. The player already knows that Real Madrid offers him a lot. He has to believe that Real Madrid is the team he has to play for. That's the key, because if the player doesn't want it, it's useless."

Madrid president Florentino Perez is prepared to welcome Ronaldo back to the club. However, he will reportedly only allow the forward to return to the Bernabeu in an ambassadorial role and not as a player. Spanish sports daily Diario AS, meanwhile, claimed last month that Mbappe has decided to join the Spanish giants when his contract with PSG ends next year.

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PSG defender reveals Kylian Mbappe's admiration for Real Madrid hero Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo established himself as one of the best players of all time during his time at Real Madrid. He bagged 450 goals and 131 assists in 438 games across competitions for the club. The forward helped Los Blancos win trophies, including four UEFA Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles.

Many young players grew up idolizing Ronaldo due to his successful nine-year stint with the Spanish club. Kylian Mbappe is among those who look up to the Portuguese icon. PSG defender Abdou Diallo, who is on loan at RB Leipzig, explained last year how much the now Al-Nassr superstar means to the Frenchman, saying:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is literally everything to Kylian Mbappe. If you mention Lionel Messi against Cristiano, Mbappe will debate with you for at least an hour. For him, Cristiano is untouchable."

Kylian Mbappe could follow in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps by joining Madrid. According to French daily L'Equipe, the forward has informed PSG that he will not trigger the option to extend his contract until 2025. Hence, a move to Spain could be on the cards for him in 2024.