Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Manchester United on a two-year deal

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United return has been confirmed after he signed a two-year deal with the club.

The 36-year-old’s move – a stand-out highlight of the transfer window which closes today – was teed-up on Friday and rubber-stamped just after 9.30am.

Juventus said that United had agreed to pay £12.86m for their former forward, with the deal potentially rising by a further £6.86m, and the Red Devils soon said he had signed a two-year contract with the option for a third.

The five-time world player of the year, who was being linked with Manchester City prior to it emerging that he was set to head back to Old Trafford, is returning 12 years after leaving United for Real Madrid.

He had six seasons with the Red Devils that saw him score 118 goals in 292 appearances and help them win three Premier League titles, a Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

Ronaldo then spent nine years with Real, during which he tasted Champions League glory a further four times and became the LaLiga outfit’s all-time top scorer, before moving to Juventus in 2018.

“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,” Ronaldo said.

“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.”

Ronaldo, who has scored 109 times in 179 Portugal appearances and was captain for their European Championship success in 2016, was joint top scorer at this summer’s Euros with five goals.

Juventus have moved quickly to replace him, bringing in Everton’s Moise Kean on a two-year loan.

Juve say the loan will be turned into a permanent deal subject to certain conditions being met over the course of the next two years, with a loan fee of seven million euros being paid to Everton.

Twenty-one-year-old Kean joined Everton from Juventus in 2019 and scored four goals across 39 appearance, while he had a successful loan spell on loan at Paris St Germain last season and had been linked with a move to the French capital prior to Lionel Messi’s arrival.