Cristiano Ronaldo joined Man Utd while Ed Woodward was sat in Gary Lineker’s garden
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goal on Man Utd return in pictures
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United was one of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window. Having previously looked set to join Manchester City, he then moved back to Old Trafford instead. And Gary Lineker has now claimed Red Devils supremo Ed Woodward brokered the move while sat inside his garden.
Ronaldo had looked likely to join City.
Having made it clear he wanted to leave Juventus, the Premier League champions got to work.
But then, when United got involved, everything changed.
City pulled out of negotiations with speed and that paved the way for the Red Devils to acquire Ronaldo, 12 years after he departed for Real Madrid.
It was a spectacular story and ended happily for United, whereas their rivals were left without the centre-forward they craved.
And Lineker, speaking in the latest episode of Match of the Day: Top 10, has claimed Woodward brokered the deal while sat in his garden.
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“Put my cards on the table, Ed Woodward is a good friend of mine,” Lineker said to Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
“He’s my neighbour and he signed Ronaldo when he was in my garden. It was awesome.
“So that was good fun.
“I knew when he walked in and he was on the phone to (Ronaldo’s agent) Jorge Mendes or someone.
“I don’t know whether I’m giving too much away here but he did sign him.
“I got a fantastic picture of him on the phone in the back garden which I might share one day with his permission.”
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Shearer also spoke out, claiming United played City ‘like mugs’.
“They (Man United) played City like mugs,” Shearer said.
“He was never going to Man City. Man United could never, ever have allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to go to Man City.
“I know the Man United owners are on a sticky wicket at the moment but that would have been the end of them.
“I just thought he was never going to go to Manchester City.”
And Shearer also thinks United can’t lose after signing Ronaldo, insisting it’s a no-brainer having him on board.
“They can’t lose in this situation,” the former Newcastle, Blackburn and Southampton striker added.
“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might lose his job if they don’t win a trophy but for Man United, they sold Dan James for £25 million and they bring Ronaldo in for under it.
“I know his wages are astronomical but so they should be, he deserves them.
“For them to get him is a no-brainer in the situation they’re in.”
Speaking upon returning to United, meanwhile, Ronaldo hinted he wanted to stay beyond his two-year contract.
“This is why I am here,” he said.
“I am not here for a vacation. As I told you, before was good, winning important things and I wore the shirt before many years ago, but I am here to win again.
“I am capable, me and my team-mates. I am ready to go, I am ready to go. It is a good chance for me, for the supporters, for the club, to get one step ahead.
“I am ready and I think I will be a huge thing in the next three or four years.”
He added on the critics doubting whether he can still deliver the goods in the Premier League due to his age: “I’m here to win, people before speak about the age but they should understand and they know that I’m different, I’m different from the rest of the people.
“I show that off all the time, year by year and this year will be the same.
“I know 100 per cent that I will do it good with the boys, with my teammates, the supporters will be on our side.”
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