Barcelona manager Xavi has reportedly rejected the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Manchester United star, 37, spent nine years at Barcelona's biggest rivals Real Madrid, becoming the club's all-time leading scorer with 450 goals. Ronaldo won two La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and several other trophies during his time in Madrid.
The veteran rejoined United from Juventus last August but has failed to win silverware at Old Trafford this term. The Red Devils are also at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification. They're currently sixth in the Premier League, four points behind Arsenal in fourth having played a game more.
Statistically, Ronaldo has done well this season. He's scored 18 goals in 32 appearances for United, a good return by anyone's standards. Yet the team has regressed with him leading their attack after finishing second in the Premier League last season.
Rumours suggest Ronaldo is considering his future and, according to Spanish outlet El Nacional, his agent Jorge Mendes has offered Barcelona the chance to sign the superstar. It's believed Xavi has rejected the proposal because he believes it would be "the biggest betrayal in history between Barcelona and Real".
Ronaldo would not be the first man to cross the Barcelona-Real divide. Spain boss Luis Enrique - who's been linked with the vacant United job - played 300 games for Barcelona having already racked up more than 200 appearances for Real.
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A pig's head was infamously thrown at Luis Figo after he left Barcelona for Real in the summer of 2000, while Samuel Eto'o - who won everything at the Nou Camp - started his professional career at Real before making a name for himself at Mallorca.
In fact, Ronaldo would not even be the first Ronaldo to play for both Real and Barcelona. Brazil legend Ronaldo - who scored 47 goals in his only season at the Nou Camp - joined Real in the summer of 2002 after lifting the World Cup, going on to win La Liga.
Barcelona nearly signed United's Ronaldo in the summer of 2003, shortly before he moved to Manchester for the first time. "We were about to sign Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez," Barcelona president Joan Laporta told Spanish outlet Marca last year.
"Marquez's people proposed Cristiano Ronaldo to us. He was at Sporting Lisbon at the time. One of his agents said that they had a player who they had sold to United for €19million [around £12m in 2003], but they'd sell him to us for €17m.
"But we had already invested in Ronaldinho at the time. Cristiano played more out wide than in the centre. We thought we were covered, so we rejected him and I don't regret it."
Fortunately for Laporta, Lionel Messi soon came through the ranks and went on to become Barcelona's all-time leading scorer with 672 senior goals. The Argentine lifted 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and countless other trophies at the Nou Camp.
