Cristiano Ronaldo officially completes Man Utd return after 12 years away

Manchester United have confirmed that the club icon and five-time Ballon d'Or winner has returned to Old Trafford, twelve years after he departed for Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo has officially completed his return to Manchester United, putting pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Old Trafford club.

The forward will earn around £480,000 a week at United, making him the highest paid player in the Premier League, with his deal also containing a year's option in United's favour.

United have paid Juventus an initial £12.86million to re-sign Ronaldo, with a further £6.8million in add-ons.

The Portuguese heads back to Manchester 12 years after leaving United for what was then a world record £80million move to Real Madrid.

“Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday," declared Ronaldo.

"I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again. I’m looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead.”

“You run out of words to describe Cristiano," said United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. "He's not only a marvellous player, but also a great human being. To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level for such a long period requires a very special person.

"I have no doubt he will continue to impress us all and his experience will be so vital for the younger players in the squad.

"Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I'm absolutely delighted he's coming home to where it all started."

Having won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League at United, Ronaldo went on to lift the Champions League four times for Madrid, where he also won La Liga twice.

One of the most decorated players in football history, the 36-year-old also picked up two Serie A titles following his 2018 transfer to Juventus, while on the international stage he helped guide Portugal to victory at Euro 2016.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's emotional return to United comes after he had appeared set to join the club's Premier League rivals Manchester City, who had moved to the front of the queue for Ronaldo's services when they missed out on Harry Kane.

However, United's persistence and the emotional pull of a return to Old Trafford proved too much for Ronaldo to resist, and the club announced that they had agreed a deal in principal to sign him on Friday.

Ronaldo first joined United as an 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, and it was his formative years at the club which set him on the road to being considered as one of the greatest players of all time.

Will United win the Premier League now Ronaldo has returned? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section

Several United figures were involved in the efforts to bring Ronaldo back to the club, including the forward's former Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson, his Portugal international teammate Bruno Fernandes and some of the club's former players Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra.

Ronaldo informed Juventus of his desire to leave the Serie A side on Friday, before jetting from Madrid to Lisbon ahead of his international duty with Portugal.

He undertook his United medical in Lisbon, and is set for his second club debut against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on September 11.

Ronaldo's former teammate Gary Neville has said that he believes the move will give the club the confidence to compete for the Premier League title this season.

"This is one of the most special players that has ever lived - forget Manchester United, it's one of the greats of all time,” Neville told Sky Sports.

"I said the other day United should be in for Kane if he was available, or [Erling] Haaland, these types of players.

“To get above Manchester City and Chelsea, they're going to have to do something big, and this could give them a temporary shot in the arm to get them right up there this year.”

Former United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich agrees, telling the same channel: "I do think they were contenders at the start of the season...now Ronaldo is the icing on the cake.

"I still believe Manchester City are favourites but the odds are closing and closing rapidly.

"At Juventus he scored 101 goals in 134 appearances and that was in Serie A. They won the league twice the Italian Cup and the Super Cup as well.

"The ultimate aim is to become true title contenders and I believe this signing will make them that."