The Portuguese superstar agreed a transfer back to Old
Trafford on Friday.
Manchester United on Friday had announced that they had
reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Ronaldo, subject to
agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.
He is expected to fire the Red Devils back to the top of the
English and European game.
Ronaldo had arrived at United as a skinny 18-year-old from
Sporting Lisbon in 2003 with a bag of tricks.
In six years under the tutelage of Alex Ferguson his
physique and end product were transformed to lead United to three Premier
League titles and Ferguson’s final Champions League in 2008.
However, even United could not resist Ronaldo’s desire to
move to Spain when Real Madrid offered a then world record £80 million ($110
million) in 2009.
Real were more than rewarded with nine years of Ronaldo in
his prime.
He smashed the club’s all-time goalscoring record at a rate
of more than a goal a game, netting 450 times in 438 appearances.
After ending Real’s long-wait for “La Decima”, the club’s
10th European Cup, he spearheaded a run of three consecutive Champions League
wins between 2016 and 2018.
That is what United are looking for an ageing Ronaldo to
repeat.
The club he returns to is different to the all-conquering
behemoth he left behind.
United have not won a league title since Ferguson left in
2013 and have failed to even qualify for the Champions League regularly in the
intervening years.
Progress has been made in the nearly three years since Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho, but the Norwegian is still to win a
trophy as United boss and they finished a distant second to Manchester City in
the Premier League last season.