Ronaldo return offers hope of Reds revival
SIR ALEX FERGUSON’S anger at those notorious ‘Welcome to Manchester’ Carlos Tevez posters in 2009 came from fear as much as loathing.
That summer when City flexed their financial muscles and made Tevez an offer he couldn’t refuse, United also lost Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.
Fergie could sense the football world was turning — and he was right. Now, with the re-signing of Ronaldo, there is a sense it’s turning back.
It’s been a tortuous 12 years for the red side since Tevez turned blue. Every time United wanted something, City seemed to get it. It started with Samir Nasri and ended with Pep Guardiola.
The only time United were so desperate to eclipse their noisy neighbours, they had to pay £600,000-a-week to Alexis Sanchez, which proved a self-inflicted wound. Ed Woodward was ultimately so appalled at the deal he signed off, he instigated a total culture change at Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The revival hasn’t been immediate and United are still looking for their first trophy since 2017. But with City missing out on both Ronaldo and Harry Kane, there has been an outpouring from United fans who believe their club can now go on and reclaim their rightful place.
‘The idea of Cristiano going to City was torture for United fans,’ acknowledged Gary Neville. ‘This will give United an
incredible 12 months. Old Trafford will be absolutely rocking, Cristiano will score goals and give them brilliant moments.
‘To get above City, Chelsea and Liverpool, they had to do something big. I was a bit fearful but this news gives me more hope that United can have a great season.’
Ronaldo’s presence brings instant glamour and will attract the next set of targets. Why wouldn’t Erling Haaland, for example, not want to play alongside a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and one of the greatest footballers who has ever lived?
United knew privately they’d got their man on Thursday even when the rest of the world were still chasing the City ambulance. Ronaldo will have a medical in
Lisbon during the international break and return ‘home’ to Carrington after World Cup qualifying duty for Portugal.
United say they beat off offers from multiple clubs, not just City, to get their man. Their belief is the 36-year-old feels he has unfinished business at Old Trafford.
There are sceptics who doubt Ronaldo can have the same impact second time around. United don’t think it will be an anti-climax. They point to his figures at Juventus, 101 goals in 134 games.
‘We didn’t start the summer planning to sign Cristiano as we didn’t expect him to leave Juve. Once it became clear he was available, we seized the opportunity,’ confirmed a senior figure at the club.
Can the Ronaldo effect swing the balance of the title race? Mail on Sunday columnist Danny Murphy, who played against him, isn’t convinced. ‘It’s really exciting for everyone to have Cristiano back but there is an argument that United needed to strengthen in midfield rather than centre-forward,’ he says.
‘This is also a huge test for Ole over how to keep his squad happy. If Ronaldo plays up top, what does that say to Mason Greenwood? He can hardly shift to the right and keep Jadon Sancho out the team because Sancho cost £73million. Also, expectations will be higher than ever.’
Murphy knows from personal experience that Ronaldo will add intensity.
‘For all his incredible skill, my abiding memory of playing against him was Ronaldo lunging at me with a bad tackle that could have got me injured and him a red card,’ he recalls.
‘As it happens, I managed to dodge the worst of it and to prevent getting him into trouble, I offered him a handshake to say: “It’s okay, no harm done”. He ignored my hand and kept moaning because they were losing!
‘It infuriated me at the time, but looking back I can see it’s because he cared so much.’