Cristiano Ronaldo: back to Manchester United after 12 years

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United, 12 years after he ended his first contract there, the English Premier League (EPL) club said on Friday.

Manchester United reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of the player, subject to agreement of personal terms, his visa and medical.

Ronaldo had previously told Juventus he wanted to leave.

“Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester,” the club said in a statement.

According to media reports, the striker will sign a two-year deal and Manchester United will pay the Italian club 15 million euros (17.7 million dollars).

This is in addition to eight million euros as a bonus to have the player.

On his Instagram, Ronaldo wrote a farewell message to Juventus, now his former club.

“I gave my heart and soul for Juventus and I’ll always love the city of Turin until my final days.

“The ‘tiffosi bianconeri’ always respected me and I tried to thank that respect by fighting for them in every game, every season, every competition,” he wrote.

“In the end, we can all look back and realise that we achieved great things. Not all that we wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty beautiful story together.”

Manchester United’s local rivals Manchester City were reportedly set to be the striker’s destination, but Pep Guardiola’s team had abandoned the negotiation talks, according to media reports.

Ronaldo won his first UEFA Champions League honour with Manchester United in 2008.

That was when he was also named world’s best player by ruling body FIFA and won his first Ballon d’Or award

Ronaldo moved to Manchester United from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

In his first run for the English team, he scored 118 goals in 292 games, winning the EPL three times and also the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008.

He left Old Trafford in 2009 for Real Madrid for 94 million euros.

At that time, it was the most expensive transfer in football history.

Ronaldo played for the Spanish club for nine years and won the UEFA Champions League four times before moving to Juventus.

At the Italian club, he was expected to bring Juve their first UEFA Champions League title since 1996 but failed in this mission.

The team could only secure fourth place in Serie A last season.(dpa/NAN)