Brazilian footballing legend Ronaldo has revealed he would consider buying a club in the Championship.
Sunderland owner Ellis Short is believed to be receptive to offers for the Black Cats, after coming close to selling the club in the summer.
And while there is no suggestion that the former Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Inter Milan striker would be interested in owning Sunderland, the news that he is exploring options in England and Spain will be of note to Black Cats fans.
Ronaldo, still only 41, has been talked about as a future president of the Brazilian Football Federation, but he feels he needs more experience in running a club first.
“It would be a great honour, but before that I want to experience running a big club,” he said in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo.
“I’m thinking about buying a club in the second division in Spain or England.
“I want to do something innovative. I think I’m prepared for the challenge.”
Ronaldo is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having netted 300 goals in a career which saw him play for some of the biggest clubs in the world, and on the world stage with Brazil.