Ronaldo: Simeone to Inter a matter of time

Diego Simeone is bound to manage Inter, according to Brazilian icon Ronaldo.

The Atletico Madrid manager, who played for the Nerazzurri with Ronaldo in the 1990s, has already publicly declared his desire to coach them in the future.

Ronaldo doesn't think Inter will part ways with current boss Roberto Mancini, despite his failure to lead the club back into the Champions League. But the 39-year-old World Cup winner still sees Simeone patrolling the San Siro sideline one day.

"I think Simeone to Inter is just a matter of time, even if Mancini is still the manager," Ronaldo told Sport Mediaset. "However, January and February results were scandalous, the five games without racking up one single point have influenced the whole season. You must be consistent to win a title."

Dejan Stankovic, Inter's director, also think the inevitable will happen.

"This is already the fourth time we've talked about this," he said. "Perhaps a day will come when he arrives, but not tomorrow or next year, maybe in a few years."

Last week, Simeone admitted to having discussions with Inter legend and current club vice-president Javier Zanetti about the potential for a return. The Argentine figured into 85 matches for Inter, scoring 14 goals between 1997 and 1999.

"We've exchanged a few words on the phone, and, as I've always said, and I have no fear of saying it again now, one day I will return to Milan because I did well there and left a great memory there, and I have the objective of going back as coach," said Simeone.

He spent time learning the coaching trade in Italy, helping to stave off relegation with Catania in 2011. Before that, in 2009, Simeone took a week to study Jose Mourinho's Inter.