Cristiano Ronaldo completes his Manchester United return
‘He’s coming home!’: Cristiano Ronaldo completes his £19.8m return to Manchester United, signing a £385,000-per-week, two-year contract with an option to play until he’s 39
- Cristiano Ronaldo rejoins Manchester United in a £19.8m move from Juventus
- The 36-year-old underlined his excitement to play at Old Trafford once again
- There is no confirmation yet on what number Ronaldo will take at United
It’s the homecoming Manchester United fans have been waiting 12 years for.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Old Trafford return has finally been confirmed, with the Portugal star completing his dramatic move from Juventus and becoming a United player for the second time in his career.
United have splashed out an £12.9m on the 36-year-old with £6.9m to follow in add-ons. Ronaldo has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with an option for a further year after passing a medical in Lisbon at the weekend. It could see him playing for United until he is 39.
Ronaldo said: ‘Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday.
‘I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again. I’m looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead.’
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United from Juventus has finally been completed
Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract with an option for a further season at Old Trafford
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added: ‘You run out of words to describe Cristiano. He is not only a marvellous player, but also a great human being.
‘To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level for such a long period requires a very special person. I have no doubt that he will continue to impress us all and his experience will be so vital for the younger players in the squad.
‘Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started.’
Ronaldo’s contract is worth around £385,000-a-week, making him one of the highest paid players in the league. That is still a cut on the £500,000-a-week salary he was earning at Juventus.
There was no word from United on what shirt number Ronaldo will take but there have been suggestions that once Daniel James completes his move to Leeds, Edinson Cavani will vacate the No 7 shirt for Ronaldo and move to the No 21 that James currently occupies.
It has been a whirlwind few days for United and Ronaldo, who only last Friday looked destined to arrive on the blue half of Manchester and sign for Pep Guardiola’s City side.
But United made a last-ditch intervention with Juventus and Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes, while club legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand contacted Ronaldo to dissuade him from joining City.
It is not yet known if Ronaldo will reclaim the No 7 shirt at United or take a different number
Ronaldo said that he can’t wait to play in front of the United fans at Old Trafford once again
Ronaldo departed United in 2009 in a then-world record £80m transfer to Real Madrid. He won two LaLiga titles and four Champions League crowns in Spain where his personal duel alongside Lionel Messi enraptured football fans across the globe.
His relentless scoring record for Madrid saw him win the Ballon d’Or five times, with his most recent triumph coming in 2017. Should he help usher in a new era of success at United that returns them to the trophy-laden era under Ferguson, it’s possible he’ll win a sixth.
Juventus confirmed Ronaldo’s departure early on Tuesday morning, hailing his contribution in Italy across three years where he scored 101 goals in 133 appearances.
‘On 10 July 2018, two icons of the European and football world came together – Cristiano Ronaldo became a Juventus player. Today, after three years together and 133 appearances, 101 goals scored and five trophies won, that chapter has come to an end…. The paths of CR7 and Juventus have gone their separate ways,’ Juventus said.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer heaped praise on Ronaldo as his United return was officially confirmed
Ronaldo is currently on international duty with Portugal for World Cup qualifying
Ronaldo is currently on international duty with Portugal, where they will play Ireland and Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifying and Qatar in a friendly.
He should be in line to make his second United debut on September 11 against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
In his first spell at United, Ronaldo won three Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup and two League Cups. He scored 84 Premier League goals and will be widely tipped to reach the ‘100 club’ before the 2020-21 season is out.
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