

This deal doesn't come without its drawbacks. They'll be buzzing as much as the fans are. What I'd give to see the group chat when Ronaldo's signing was announced. For Fernandes in particular, who grew up idolising his compatriot, as well as the younger players like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood, the impact could be immense. Having provided so much excitement and glory at the beginning of his career at Old Trafford, now he gets to play a role of leading the line but also inspiring and motivating the players around him.Īs one of the greatest ever, you can only imagine the lift it will have on the dressing room to have Ronaldo as their team-mate. He was the top scorer in Serie A, with five more goals in less playing time than Chelsea's £98m signing Romelu Lukaku, and his mentality will see him do all he can to shine in the Premier League once more. Of course, we don't actually need another forward, we need a defensive midfielder, but when a player of Ronaldo's quality and legacy becomes available, the club would have been silly to ignore the opportunity.Īt 36, Ronaldo's best years are behind him, even if he will still have his eye on a sixth Ballon d'Or before he retires, but with 36 goals in all competitions last season, there's clearly life in the old dog yet. Thankfully, the legendary player was true to his word and rejected City's advances for the opportunity to play at Old Trafford once more. 'Why? Because my heart's in Manchester United, that's why.' 'To play for City, not United? I'm not going to do that,' Ronaldo said in 2013. The adrenaline that built over the course of Friday, with whispers starting in the morning that Ronaldo would be playing for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and not Pep Guardiola, was off the scale.įerguson reportedly put in a phone call, with Bruno Fernandes working his magic too, and devastation has turned in to delight.

Thankfully, the 24-hour nightmare is over, and not only did Ronaldo snub City's advances, he opted to return to Old Trafford instead, in a move that will take United fans some time to believe.
