Nani talks up return to Manchester United: 'United are my club, there are always possibilities I will return'

Manchester United’s Luis Nani has reiterated that he believes there are “always possibilities” that he can return to the club from his loan at Sporting Lisbon, and the Old Trafford outfit “are my club.”

Nani underlined the potential Sir Alex Ferguson saw in him - but which he has failed to demonstrate since he reached his high point at Old Traffrd three years ago - by scoring the goal of the night in the Champions League last night, for Sporting against Maribor. Nani worked the ball around five players in a congested area to score and later rescuing Joao Mario’s over-hit cross to set-up Algerian Islam Slimani to score again. Nani said after the game that he held no negative sentiment against United for Louis van Gaal’s decision to let him leave, as part of a loan deal to bring in Marcos Rojo for central defence, though he would not be returning to Old Trafford in January.

“They are my club. I was at home there and I have to demonstrate that there are always possibilities,” Nani said. “I have nothing against Man United. I came here to play and get games. I am focussed back here at Sporting.”

Nani’s talk came in the context of the positive comments he made about United, after he played for Portugal against Argentina at Old Trafford last week. That was interpreted in his own country as a consequence of the frosty recent relations between the player and the Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho. De Carvalho criticised the side’s players after their defeat to Vitoria Guimaraes in the Portuguese league and Nani – who has established himself as the de facto team leader – was unhappy. When Sporting subsequently beat Schalke at home in the Champions League, he said: “Those who don’t know how to lose, don’t know how to win.” That was interpreted as a veiled attack on de Carvalho.  Nani’s latest comments are an attempt to demonstrate that he is not agitating to leave Sporting before the end of the season.

Sporting will probably need to take a point fom their last game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to qualify from the knock-out stage, with Schalke the favourites to beat Maribor.

"This was a great evening,” the 28-year-old said last night. “They are all to be congratulated. We gave a good answer. If we enter the game with winning mentality we know we can come away with the victory. Any player playing at Stamford Bridge does so with more desire."