Cristiano Ronaldo is no stranger to donning headlines. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner was most-recently in the news as the subject of a transfer battle between Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United.
But according to the latest reports, it seems dreams of United fans the world over may just come true as the Portuguese sensation makes his way back to his former home at Old Trafford. English media report, the man behind the move is none other than legendary ex-United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who was both Ronaldo’s mentor and manager for six years.
Ronaldo has always respected Ferguson and it is said one of his reasons for ruling out a return to England last season was reportedly attributed to Ferguson’s retirement. However, the Scotsman still exerts a certain degree of influence at Old Trafford (as a Director) and according to The Daily Star, recently made a secret call to his former protégé to come home!
Explosive stuff, right? We couldn’t believe it either…
The Daily Star quoted football agent Francois Gallardo saying, “On Wednesday Cristiano received a call from Ferguson [about returning to United]. He said he was happy at Real Madrid but the whole transfer depends on Jorge Mendes”. There’s no doubt United fans would want nothing more than to see the ‘World’s Best Footballer’ come home. During a recent match between Real Madrid and Villarreal, fans floated a gargantuan banner that read ‘Come Home Ronaldo – United Reel’.
If super-agent Jorge Mendes is successfully able to engineer a return for CR7, then it’ll be perhaps the biggest transfer news of the decade. Mendes is also the agent for new United signings Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria, and is reportedly the most influential agent in the beautiful game.
Times have changed since Ronaldo’s £80 million move to Real Madrid back in 2009. The Spanish giants are the Champions of Europe and if anything, a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu may be considered a step down.
According to The Mirror, if the move does actually go through it would cost the Red Devils somewhere in the region of a staggering £200 million (including transfer fees and wages). Ronaldo turns 30 in February of next year, and it may not seem like the most sensible move to spend such a massive amount on him. While there’s no denying that he can and potentially will perform at his peak for a few good years to come, there are several younger options that could also fit the bill and provide more ‘value for money’. Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus is just one of them.
The ten-time UEFA Champions League winners would likely not mind letting go of their prized left-winger if the price is right. Madrid recently acquired the talents of World Cup juggernaut James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos. CR7 was reportedly not too happy with the club’s hierarchy and some of their summer transfer moves. At United, he will have the opportunity to reunite with former Madrid teammate Angel Di Maria.
Sir Alex has made the call… Now it is up to Ronaldo to decide his future!