MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE confirmed they’ve reached an agreement with Juventus to complete the sensational signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
From nowhere, United earlier today emerged as the frontrunners to land the signature of their former star, who won the first of his five Ballon d’Ors during his original spell at Old Trafford in the mid-to-late ’00s.
A statement released by United this evening read: “Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.
“Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including five Uefa Champions League titles, four Fifa Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal.
“In his first spell for Manchester United, he scored 118 goals in 292 games.
“Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester.”
United’s neighbours Manchester City had as recently as this morning been odds-on favourites to sign Ronaldo after he informed Juventus of his wish to leave the Serie A club.
However, Ronaldo is now set to undergo a United medical in Lisbon ahead of a two-year return to the red side of Manchester, with City having halted their efforts to sign the attacker earlier today.
Samuel Luckhurst, the Manchester Evening News’ chief Man United correspondent, reported this afternoon that Ronaldo informed City he was no longer interested in a move to the Etihad Stadium once he became aware of United’s attempts to sign him. Luckhurst also reported that a conversation with Alex Ferguson was among those to have swayed Ronaldo in United’s direction.
Cristiano Ronaldo training with United in 2009. PA
PA
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared to rule United into the running to sign his former team-mate at a press conference on Friday afternoon, telling reporters that Ronaldo’s fellow Portuguese Bruno Fernandes had been among those in contact with the five-time Ballon D’Or winner, who by then seemed to be on the verge of joining City.
“We’ve always had a good communication,” Solskjaer said of his own relationship with Ronaldo.
Bruno has been talking to him as well and he knows what we feel about him. If he was ever going to move away from Juventus, he knows we are here.
“He’s such a legend of this club. I didn’t think Cristiano would end up leaving Juventus.
“If you ask me, he is the greatest player of all time. I was fortunate enough to play with him, I coached him when I got my job. He is such a tremendous human being as well, so let’s see what happens with Cristiano. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him.”
Mark Ogden of ESPN later reported: “Man Utd now frontrunners to sign Ronaldo. Negotiations and text exchanges with former team-mates in early hours of this morning appear to have swung the deal in United’s favour.”
Amid the bedlam of speculation, another of Ronaldo’s former team-mates and a close friend of the Portuguese icon, Rio Ferdinand, appeared to hint towards a potential Ronaldo return to Old Trafford with a cryptic video posted to Twitter in which he simply nodded and smiled down the camera.
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Man United reach deal with Juventus to sign Cristiano Ronaldo
LAST UPDATE | 27 Aug 2021
MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE confirmed they’ve reached an agreement with Juventus to complete the sensational signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
From nowhere, United earlier today emerged as the frontrunners to land the signature of their former star, who won the first of his five Ballon d’Ors during his original spell at Old Trafford in the mid-to-late ’00s.
A statement released by United this evening read: “Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.
“Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including five Uefa Champions League titles, four Fifa Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal.
“In his first spell for Manchester United, he scored 118 goals in 292 games.
“Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester.”
United’s neighbours Manchester City had as recently as this morning been odds-on favourites to sign Ronaldo after he informed Juventus of his wish to leave the Serie A club.
However, Ronaldo is now set to undergo a United medical in Lisbon ahead of a two-year return to the red side of Manchester, with City having halted their efforts to sign the attacker earlier today.
Samuel Luckhurst, the Manchester Evening News’ chief Man United correspondent, reported this afternoon that Ronaldo informed City he was no longer interested in a move to the Etihad Stadium once he became aware of United’s attempts to sign him. Luckhurst also reported that a conversation with Alex Ferguson was among those to have swayed Ronaldo in United’s direction.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared to rule United into the running to sign his former team-mate at a press conference on Friday afternoon, telling reporters that Ronaldo’s fellow Portuguese Bruno Fernandes had been among those in contact with the five-time Ballon D’Or winner, who by then seemed to be on the verge of joining City.
“We’ve always had a good communication,” Solskjaer said of his own relationship with Ronaldo.
“He’s such a legend of this club. I didn’t think Cristiano would end up leaving Juventus.
“If you ask me, he is the greatest player of all time. I was fortunate enough to play with him, I coached him when I got my job. He is such a tremendous human being as well, so let’s see what happens with Cristiano. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him.”
Mark Ogden of ESPN later reported: “Man Utd now frontrunners to sign Ronaldo. Negotiations and text exchanges with former team-mates in early hours of this morning appear to have swung the deal in United’s favour.”
Amid the bedlam of speculation, another of Ronaldo’s former team-mates and a close friend of the Portuguese icon, Rio Ferdinand, appeared to hint towards a potential Ronaldo return to Old Trafford with a cryptic video posted to Twitter in which he simply nodded and smiled down the camera.
And now, an agreement between United and Juventus — believed to be worth in the region of €25m to the Serie A club — has been reached.
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