Cristiano Ronaldo was set to make a shock switch to Manchester City on Thursday, before Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand gave the Portugese superstar a strong talking to. Ferguson is CR7’s football father and indeed father knows best in this situation.
They convinced the now former Juventus 36-year-old forward that he just can not, by any means, join City because doing so would destroy his legacy at MUFC.
At the same time, when Ronaldo wants to move, and a big Premier League club comes calling for him, Old Trafford had to make sure they got him instead.
And that’s exactly what happened, as Ronaldo is coming “home” with his “re-debut” set for Sept. 11, in the next match after the international break. According to multiple reports, Ronaldo has successfully completed his medical with his new, but still very familiar club.
“The Premier League club will pay around €15m (£12.87m) plus a further €8m (£6.86m) in add-ons for the Portugal captain, who underwent a medical in Lisbon over the weekend. Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games during his first spell with United between 2003 and 2009.”
Personal terms have been agreed with Ronaldo on what will be a two year deal. There is a massive buzz and sky high level of excitement all around the club with this signing, with goalkeeper David de Gea and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer publicly expressing the enthusiasm that United supporters everywhere are currently feeling.
It is expected that everything will be finalized ahead of tomorrow night’s summer transfer window deadline.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.