After leaving United 12 years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Old Trafford.
In the transfer window that keeps on giving, Manchester United have arguably pulled off the coup of the summer by signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus for XXX.
For days, Ronaldo has seemed to be heading to the blue side of Manchester, with Pep Guardiola's City having been the favourites to sign the Portuguese ever since he announced his desire to leave Juventus.
https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1431282505311739907
But on Friday, the news broke that Manchester City were no longer interested in the 36-year-old, and United swooped in for their former man, submitting a formal bid for CR7 just hours later.
According to
the Athletic, the fee United offered was €15 million plus €8 million in add-ons for Ronaldo after City pulled out from negotiations, and the Red Devils swiftly wrapped up a deal with Juve for the Portuguese legend.
It brings to an end a truly remarkable few days. This time last week the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Juventus seemed implausible, and if you'd told United fans that within mere days they would be singing Ronaldo's name once more, they'd have said you were mad.
Related links:
Manchester City pull out of deal to sign Cristiano Ronaldo
Rio Ferdinand’s cryptic tweet has Man Utd fans clinging to Ronaldo hope
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘says goodbye to teammates’ ahead of proposed Man City move
Many had consigned themselves to the prospect of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in the sky blue of Man City this season.
But now he has returned to the club where he made his name and spent six years from 2003 to 2009.
By the time he left United for Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £80 million, he had scored 118 goals in 292 for the club.
And it is thought that a
conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who brought him to Old Trafford in the first place, is what convinced Cristiano to re-join the Red Devils instead of their city rivals.
It looks like we're in for quite the Premier League season.
The first Manchester derby is on November 6. Save the date.
