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In a spectacular turn of events in the last 24 hours, Manchester United managed to snatch Cristiano Ronaldo from the jaws of cross-town rivals Manchester City.
Several transfer specialists reported that the Cityzens were close to completing a deal for the United legend. However, things unravelled rather quickly following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's pre-match press conference.
The Norwegian had dropped a bombshell:
"If he ever wants to move away from Juventus, he knows we are here."
Since then, Fabrizio Romano reported that City were out of the race for Cristiano Ronaldo, and Manchester United were the frontrunners. In the last few hours, Manchester United released a statement welcoming the Portuguese back to the club after 12 long years.
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On that note, here's a look at five reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United is a good move for both player and club.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo could be the missing piece of the puzzle for Manchester United
Manchester United have arguably been the biggest club in the history of English football. But they have failed to win the coveted Premier League and Champions League since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United have now assembled a team that can square off against the biggest names in European football. However, till Ronaldo's arrival, the Red Devils lacked the finishing touch, most recently losing out to Villarreal in the 2020-21 Europa League final.
While Manchester United has many players who can create goals, they do not have a solid 20-goals-a-season striker. With the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Jadon Sancho around him, Cristiano Ronaldo could comfortably accomplish that.
The 36-year-old also brings with him the mentality of a world-beater, and will likely spur everyone in the squad to elevate their games to a higher level. Very evidently, the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford could take inspiration from Ronaldo.
Manchester United have also struggled to close out matches against 'lesser' teams, as witnessed in their 1-1 draw against Southampton last weekend. Ronaldo is the type of forward who can consistently find the back of the net in such tight matches.
#4 A move to Manchester City would have stained Cristiano Ronaldo's glittering Manchester United legacy
While social media was rife with rumours surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Manchester City, most Manchester United fans were in utter shock.
A generation of Manchester United faithful grew up watching the lethal attacking partnership of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney tear up opposition defences. A move to United's direct rivals and noisy neighbours would surely have left a terrible taste in the mouth.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had even received a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd when he faced off against his former club in the all-whites of Real Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo considers Sir Alex Ferguson to be his footballing father. It would've been hard to imagine Sir Alex giving his blessings to the Portuguese for a move to United's cross-town arch-rivals.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo has Premier League experience
For many, Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player to have ever graced the Premier League. He's one of the most successful players of the Premier League era, with three Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, two League Cups, the FA Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, to name a few.
It would be fair to say the Portuguese has more than the required skill set to succeed in English football, and could possibly propel Manchester United to their first Premier League title in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a believer in writing his own destiny. Furthermore, he will only enhance his reputation if he can lead the Red Devils to a Premier League title at the age of 36.
Ronaldo's fans base their argument of the Portuguese being the greatest of all time on the fact that he proved himself in arguably the most gruelling and competitive domestic league in European football.
If the serial winner can do something similar during his second stint at Manchester United and lead the club to domestic and/or European glory, the GOAT debate could be settled once and for all.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo has a good relationship with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the United squad
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has previously shared the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo in the reds of Manchester United for four seasons between 2003 and 2007.
The Norwegian has expressed admiration for his former teammate on various occasions. Most recently, he praised Ronaldo in a pre-match press conference today:
"Ronaldo is a legend of the club, and the greatest player of all time, if you ask me. I was fortunate to play with him and coach him. He's a tremendous human being. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him."
Cristiano Ronaldo will also receive support from his teammates, which he didn't get during his three-year spell with the Old Lady. The Portuguese has also played with Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane in the past, which should help him settle down quickly.
#1 No place like 'home'
Cristiano Ronaldo established himself as one of, if not the greatest footballers of all time during his time at Real Madrid. But Old Trafford is where a lanky 18-year-old Portuguese boy became a man.
The now-36-year-old won his first Ballon d'Or accolade and Champions League title during his six-year spell with the Red Devils. Ronaldo won the first of his five Ballon d'Ors in 2008 after a Premier League and Champions League double in the same year.
In the 2007-08 season, he found the back of the net 42 times from just 49 appearances.
That season, Cristiano Ronaldo established himself as one of the two genuinely generational talents in the game over the last few decades. He was directly involved in 187 goals (118 goals, 69 assists) across 292 appearances in the reds of Manchester United.
The Portuguese has now returned to the club as one of the undeniable greats in world football, with a massive haul of 30 trophies. Ronaldo will need no time to settle into familiar environments, and his footballing father, Sir Alex Ferguson, still enjoys a role at the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo can definitely rely on Alex Ferguson to make the best decisions for him in the twilight stage of his career, and will be the natural leader of the Manchester United squad.
