The manager of Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo is not returning to the club to sit on the bench. He stressed that the 36-year-old Portuguese forward is returning to the club to be an important part of his team.
Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of returning to Manchester United after 12 years of football outside the club. Recall that he joined Manchester United in 2003 from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.
Ronaldo spent six years at Manchester United before he left the club to join Real Madrid for a then world transfer record fee worth €94 million.
Before he left Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Manchester United to win numerous football titles including three Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League title.
The Portuguese football icon helped the Red Devils to achieve that by scoring 118 goals in all competitions and provided 69 assists in 292 games. His brilliance on the pitch earned him his first Ballon d’Or at Old Trafford.
Though he still has a season left on his contract with Juventus, Ronaldo has decided to leave the club and the Italian club have agreed to accept €15 million including add-ons worth about €8 million from Manchester United for the services of Ronaldo.
Reports also claimed that Ronaldo has agreed on personal terms with Manchester United and was expected to undergo medical in Lisbon, Portugal at the weekend in anticipation of his return to Old Trafford.
Since Manchester United confirmed that Ronaldo is on the verge of returning to Old Trafford, Manchester United fans have been so ecstatic. They showed how much they are anticipating Ronaldo’s arrival by displaying a cardboard cut-out of Cristiano Ronaldo during Sunday’s Premier League 1-0 victory over Wolves.
On the other hand, the critics of Ronaldo and Manchester United think that Ronaldo has nothing more to offer Manchester United on the pitch due to his age.
But coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not think so. The Norwegian tactician believes that Ronaldo’s arrival at the club would improve his team this season and beyond.
The coach said: “Of course we’re excited by the whole story Cristiano has had at Manchester United. Hopefully, we can get the paperwork sorted and announce him very soon.
“He is a winner and a great human being. The players are excited, and l am excited to keep adding to this squad. He adds something completely different. It adds more confidence and belief to what we are doing and what we are building.
“We know he is a more experienced player than he was when he was here last time, he has evolved and had an unbelievable career. I’m sure he likes all the talk about ‘he’s too old. Make it personal and he will show what he can do…
“He is not signing to sit on the bench. He is going to make us a better team.
“We need to get all the paperwork done, hopefully, we can get that sorted and we can announce it 100 percent.
“Then he is away with Portugal, they have three games, his last game is Tuesday (September 7) and then we can get him back to Manchester and involved as soon as possible.”
On the possible wing Ronaldo might play in at Manchester United, Solakjaer said: “Cristiano has evolved as a player; he used to play wide right, wide left, up front. He’s more of a center-forward fore me at the moment, but there will be games where we play with two or three up front. I want him in the box, I want him scoring goals.”
Your support at Molineux on Sunday was incredible, Reds! 👏
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 29, 2021
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