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In a spectacular turn of events last night, Manchester United announced that the club reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to the BBC, the Red Devils have struck a deal worth around £12.8 million, excluding add-ons. The deal has brought the Portuguese, who has won four more Ballon d'Ors and Champions League titles to his kitty, back to Old Trafford after 12 long years.
During his first spell at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo racked up a stellar tally of 118 goals and 69 assists from 292 appearances across competitions. While much of the focus of the footballing world is on Cristiano Ronaldo's homecoming, there have been a few intriguing sub-plots that could transpire in the coming months.
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On that note, here's a look at the five intriguing sub-plots to Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United return.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo to play under former Manchester United teammate Solskjaer
Manchester United's current manager and treble-winner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has previously shared the Old Trafford pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo for a brief period.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had entered the twilight of his Manchester United career when the club signed Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003. The Norwegian was one of the senior statesmen in the United squad when Ronaldo made the first big move of his career. The duo played together for four years between 2003 and 2007, winning trophies galore in their short time together.
As teammates, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Community Shield, among others. The Norwegian has always expressed admiration for his former teammate, and he did so a few hours before Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer announcement as well.
In a pre-match conference, Solskjaer said:
"Ronaldo is a legend of the club, and the greatest player of all time, if you ask me. I was fortunate to play with him and coach him. He's a tremendous human being. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him."
#4 Manchester United's problem of plenty in the forward line
Even before Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival, Manchester United were well stocked in the forward department, especially after Jadon Sancho's arrival and Edinson Cavani's contract extension.
Most United fans had set their sights on a holding midfielder to strengthen the squad and challenge for domestic and European glory. However, a club like Manchester United could not pass on a legend like Cristiano Ronaldo, so the board sealed the move in a matter of a few hours.
While this move will undoubtedly strengthen the Manchester United squad, some of United's current forwards will have to spend more time on the bench, though.
The likes of Daniel James and Jesse Lingard will be afforded very little game time after Ronaldo's arrival.
After a flying start to the 2020-21 season, Mason Greenwood might have to vacate his centre-forward position to make way for the Portuguese. Solskjaer might consider playing Greenwood in a wider position, but he will face tough competition from the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. Paul Pogba has racked up five assists in two Premier League appearances this season from a left midfield role, but Ronaldo's arrival could push him back to a No. 6 role.
In the strikers' department, Manchester United will have Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial as back-ups to Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils will definitely have a problem of plenty in the attacking third, but it's one of the best problems a manager can ask for.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo's mentorship role at Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo first arrived in Manchester as a lanky-18-year-old boy and left Old Trafford as a man.
As the Portuguese has admitted before, Sir Alex Ferguson and the people around Manchester United have been a major contributor to the player he has become today.
That includes his former teammates at Old Trafford, who have reportedly played a key role in convincing Ronaldo to make the trip back 'home'. The likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Keane took Ronaldo under their wings, and mentored the youngster during the early days of his Manchester United career.
Cristiano Ronaldo has now returned to the club as a senior statesman and one of the most decorated players in the history of the game.
This time around, he will have a role to play in mentoring the talented youngsters in the squad. The likes of Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho should benefit significantly from Ronaldo's presence in the team. Some of them have grown up watching and admiring Cristiano Ronaldo, and will now have the chance to pick his brains and learn about the day-to-day routine of an elite athlete.
Mason Greenwood will probably learn more from Cristiano Ronaldo in the training ground and dressing room than he would as a regular Premier League starter. The 36-year old's experience and know-how alone could be worth the reported £12.8 million United paid for Ronaldo's services.
#2 Reunion with former Real Madrid teammate Raphael Varane
Another intriguing sub-plot to Cristiano Ronaldo's move back home is his reunion with former Los Blancos teammate Raphael Varane.
The duo will have happy memories of playing alongside each other, having won some of the biggest titles in club football together. Cristiano Ronaldo was an integral member of the Real Madrid squad when Varane made his debut for the club in 2011.
The Frenchman soon established himself as one of the premier centre-halves in world football, and was pivotal in Real Madrid's four Champions League-winning teams in five years.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane have together won four Champions League titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, two La Liga trophies and three UEFA SuperCups, to name a few. The duo won a total of 15 major trophies during their seven-season stint in the Spanish capital.
The Portuguese superstar will surely be keen to link up with his former teammate again, and will hope to recreate some of the success they shared at the Santiago Bernabeu.
#1 Jersey number conundrum
It will feel extremely wrong to see Cristiano Ronaldo do his thing in a Manchester United shirt without the iconic #7 at the back.
As things stand, Edinson Cavani remains the holder of the Portuguese megastar's preferred squad number. Since the announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo's homecoming, Manchester United fans have urged Cavani to give away his #7 jersey.
However, that is not possible according to the Premier League regulations on squad numbers.
According to the rules, a shirt number cannot be changed once the season has already begun.
Ronaldo could only be given the #7 jersey if Edinson Cavani was to vacate it by leaving the club in the ongoing summer transfer window. That seems rather unlikely, with just three days remaining in the window. However, the FA can make an exception at times. The Manchester United faithful will perhaps argue that this is indeed an extraordinary circumstance.
The most likely possibility is that Cristiano Ronaldo will don the #28, as he did during his Sporting Lisbon stint. The 36-year-old could also opt for the #12 or the #15 jerseys.
