'He's Coming Home': Cristiano Ronaldo Completes Transfer to Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo earlier penned a lengthy Instagram post, in which he said that he'd given his "heart and soul" for Juventus as he officially confirmed that he'd be leaving Turin.
"Manchester United is delighted to confirm the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further year, subject to international clearance", the Red Devils said in a statement titled "Ronaldo is Coming Home".
Last week, the English club announced that they had reached a deal with Juventus to sign the Portuguese forward, who will now return to the team, where he won eight major trophies from 2003-2009.
Cristiano has already passed a medical, secured a visa, and agreed personal terms, which makes his transfer complete.
"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. 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", the player said.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the manager of the Premier League club, has heaped praise on Ronaldo, calling him a "marvellous player" and a "great human being".
"You run out of words to describe Cristiano. He is 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 that 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 am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started", the manager said.
There've been many rumours about Ronaldo's willingness to leave Juventus, but he dismissed them as speculation days before the deal with Man United was sealed.
"Anyone who knows me is aware of how focused I am on my work. Less talk and more action, this has been my guiding motto since the start of my career. However, in view of everything that's been said and written recently, I have to set out my position", he wrote.
"More than the disrespect for me as a man and as a player, the frivolous way that my future is covered in the media is disrespectful to all the clubs involved in these rumours, as well as to their players and staff. [...] there have been frequent news and stories associating me with a number of clubs in many different Leagues, with nobody ever being concerned about trying to find out the actual truth. I’m breaking my silence now to say that I can’t allow people to keep playing around with my name. I remain focused on my career and in my work, committed and prepared for all the challenges that I have to face. Everything else? Everything else is just talk".
Days later Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed that the Portuguese ace had no plans to stay in Italy.
Prior to joining the Italian club in 2018 in a €100 million transfer deal, Ronaldo spent nearly 10 years playing for Real Madrid, and before that he spent another six years with Manchester United.
A five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo has amassed 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 UEFA European Championship for Portugal.
Post a Comment