‘Back where I belong’: Ronaldo seals return to Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo completed his return to United on Tuesday after 12 years away, saying “I’m back where I belong.”

Manchester United fans hold up a cardboard cutout of returning superstar Cristiano Ronaldo during their game at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.Credit:Getty Images

“History has been written in the past and history will be written once again!” the 36-year-old Ronaldo wrote on Instagram. “You have my word!”

Ronaldo signed off his post by dedicating his return to Old Trafford to the man who first brought him to United in 2003 – when he was a skinny, supremely gifted 18-year-old winger – and turned him into a superstar.

“Sir Alex,” he wrote, “this one is for you…”

Alex Ferguson, the most successful manager in United’s history, is thought to be among the club greats who helped to persuade Ronaldo to move back to United amid interest from crosstown rivals Manchester City, who had been offered the Portugal forward by his agent.

Sir Alex Ferguson, then manager of Manchester United, and Cristiano Ronaldo, pictured ahead of the Champions League final in 2008.Credit:Getty Images

Ronaldo has previously called Ferguson “my father in sport.”

An agreement was reached with Juventus over Ronaldo’s transfer on Friday and one of soccer’s most stunning deals in years was completed on Tuesday – the final day of European soccer’s summer transfer window – after a medical examination.

A fee of €15 million ($24 million) will be paid to Juventus over five years. That could be increased by €8 million depending on specific performance objectives achieved by Ronaldo, who has signed the two-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.

“I can’t even start to explain my feelings right now, as I see my return to Old Trafford announced worldwide,” Ronaldo wrote.

“It’s like a dream come true, after all the times that I went back to play against Man United, and even as an opponent, to have always felt such love and respect from the supporters in the stands. This is absolutely 100% the stuff that dreams are made of!”

Ronaldo’s debut could come against Newcastle on September 11, the day the Premier League resumes after the international break.

With a striker not a priority until Ronaldo became available, United has found itself with a squad overloaded with attacking players. That has prompted the club to let right winger Daniel James leave, with the Wales international joining Leeds for a reported £25 million ($18 million).

A number of other teams were looking to reshape their squads on transfer deadline day, too.

Spurs sign Emerson

Tottenham Hotspur completed the signing of right-back Emerson Royal on a five-year contract from Barcelona.

Barca said Spurs had paid a fee of €25 million for the 22-year-old Brazil international.

Emerson moved to LaLiga in June 2019 from Atletico Miniero in the Brazilian top tier, initially joining Real Betis on loan before returning to Barcelona at the end of last season.

Emerson featured in all three of Barcelona’s opening league games this season and was part of the Brazil squad that lost to Argentina in the Copa America final in July.

He becomes the fifth signing for Spurs in the current transfer window following the arrivals of goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, winger Bryan Gil, defender Cristian Romero and midfielder Pape Sarr.

Spurs have won their opening three Premier League games and sit top of the table.

Real Madrid signs Camavinga

Real Madrid signed one of the most exciting players in French soccer – but it isn’t Kylian Mbappe.

Eduardo Camavinga, an 18-year-old midfielder, agreed to a six-year deal with Madrid, though no fee was disclosed.

Madrid has also been trying to buy Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain. An initial bid for about €160 million was rejected, PSG said last week, and Madrid was running out of time to sign the France striker, whose contract ends in June.

Camavinga made his debut for France in September last year – at 17 years and 303 days, becoming the third youngest player to play for Les Bleus.

He then netted a spectacular goal the following month against Ukraine to become the youngest scorer for France since Maurice Gastiger in 1914.

Camavinga had just one year left on his deal with Rennes, whose academy he joined at the age of 10.

Pay cuts at Barca to register Aguero

Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have taken pay cuts at Barcelona to allow the team to register Sergio Aguero to play in the Spanish league, the Catalan club said.

They follow another senior player, Gerard Pique, in taking a salary reduction to enable their financially troubled club to fit into the league’s strict financial fair play regulations.

Barcelona, which recently announced its debt at €1.35 billion, was unable to keep Lionel Messi because of financial regulations. Messi signed for Paris Saint-Germain but Aguero, his fellow Argentina international, will be free to play for Barcelona once he recovers from a calf injury.

The 33-year-old Aguero was signed in July as a free agent from Manchester City.

Elsewhere, West Ham signed Croatia attacking midfielder Nikola Vlasic on a five-year deal from CSKA Moscow to give the London club more options up front for their Europa League run. It comes two days after West Ham signed centre-back Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.

Other completed deals saw Brighton buy left-back Marc Cucurella from Spanish team Getafe and Wales defender Connor Roberts join Burnley from second-tier Swansea.

Arsenal – currently last on the Premier League ladder – agreed to end Willian’s contract two years early so he could join Corinthians in Brazil.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, meanwhile, signed a contract extension through to 2025. The 31-year-old midfielder has 394 appearances since joining from Sunderland in 2011, scoring 30 goals and winning the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

AP, Reuters

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