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It all began when Cristiano Ronaldo dropped a 'nuclear bomb' on the Real Madrid fans, after the leading the Los Blancos to claim a third successive UEFA Champions League trophy in May. At the end of a famous 3-1 victory against Liverpool at the NSC Olympiykiy Stadium, the attacker said in an interview:
"It was very nice to be at Real Madrid ... In the coming days I will give a response to the fans, who have always been at my side."
"We'll see what happens"
Those comments led to a lot of speculations regarding the player's future. After learning that the attacker's future at the Santiago Bernabeu lied amidst uncertainties, many European elite clubs started exploring the possibilities of luring him away from the Spanish capital.
While Manchester United were considered a strong contender for his signature, Cristiano Ronaldo decided to take a different turn, completing a famous transfer worth €88 million to join Italian champions, Juventus instead.
However, it would have been a better decision if the Portuguese had snubbed a move to the Seria A in order to link-up with his former club, Manchester United. Therefore, let us take a look at 3 reasons why the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner should have opted to return to the Old Trafford instead:
#3 The return of a hero
Cristiano Ronaldo is a very popular figure in the English Premier League. The attacker represented Manchester United between 2003 and 2009, helping the Red Devils to claim a lot of trophies as well as becoming the first player from the English top flight to win the coveted Ballon d'Or award.
With his achievements, records and reputation at Manchester United, it would have been a great decision if he had considered rejoining the Red Devils. While it doesn't go without saying that he will be warmly welcomed at Juventus, the reception he would get at Old Trafford would be incomparable.
Going back to the Old Trafford would have been the return home of a hero, with the crowd at Manchester United ready to greet him with so much familiarity and honor.
#2 The popularity of the Premier League
The popularity of the English Premier League at the moment is another factor that should have convinced Cristiano Ronaldo to join Manchester United instead of Juventus. With a massive number of viewers across the globe, the English top flight is the most watched league in the world.
Considering his profile and marketing value, the Portuguese should have snubbed a move to Juventus in order to return to the Old Trafford. In the Seria A, he would face a difficult task of helping to revive a league that is already on the decline, while the Premier League has the fame and support that would enable him to thrive as a global star.
Therefore, his conclusion to overlook the incredible advantages that the English division offers in order to explore the Italian League doesn't look like the best of decisions from the Portuguese at the moment.
#1 The Financial strength of the Red Devils
According to KPMG, Premier giants, Manchester United are currently the richest of all football clubs in the world. The Red Devils are valued at €3.255 billion, beating the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid who have €2.78 billion and €2.92 billion respectively.
Cristiano Ronaldo would have benefited hugely from joining Manchester United instead of Juventus. With his €30 million a year deal at the Allianz Stadium, the attacker still lags behind the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar Junior who have €40 million and €36.8 million contracts respectively. Had he joined the Red Devils, he could have easily become the highest-paid footballer in the world.
Moreover, Real Madrid would have also benefited from the deal because the Premier League giants would have offered more than the €88 million that the Old Ladies paid to secure his services.
