Welcome Back: Manchester United agree €20m deal for Cristiano Ronaldo

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.

Manchester United have revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo will make a surprise return to Old Trafford after reaching an agreement with Juventus on a transfer cost for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Ronaldo had been linked with a move to Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent months. Ronaldo is set to sign a two-year contract with Manchester United, with the club agreeing to pay an initial €2 million to the Italian club, plus up to €3 million in bonuses, assuming he is granted a visa and passes a medical.

Welcome , @Cristiano #MUFC | #Ronaldo

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 27, 2021

Until Friday morning, it appeared as though Manchester City would be the most likely destination for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. However, following a dizzying 48 hours that saw Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, meet with Juventus officials in Turin on Wednesday to discuss a prospective move to the Etihad Stadium, City stated on Friday lunchtime that they were no longer interested.

Later, it was revealed that Mendes had also held talks with Manchester United, and a statement from the club confirmed that a deal to re-sign him had been reached with Juventus. Mendes originally joined the Red Devils from Sporting Lisbon as a teenager, and he spent six seasons at Old Trafford before joining Real Madrid for a world-record £80 million in 2009.

After tax, Ronaldo’s contract with Juventus is worth an estimated €31 million per season after tax, and he has fewer than 12 months left on his deal. It is said that City were hesitant to pay a sum for a player who would turn 37 in February, and that they had also failed to reach an agreement on personal conditions for a planned two-year contract with the player.