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Manchester United are now certainly the biggest winners of the summer transfer window, probably alongside Paris Saint-Germain.
Having already secured the signings of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, the Red Devils have now added Cristiano Ronaldo to their array of stars.
It took some time and a bit of controversy but the confirmation finally arrived on Friday afternoon.
“Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical,” a statement from the club said.
It’s been 12 years in the making, but Ronaldo is finally back at Old Trafford and that is all that matters. The Portuguese forward is a serial winner and has won trophies everywhere he’s gone.
He may be returning to a Manchester United side that is now trying to find its feet but this move comes with a lot of advantages for both parties.
Manchester United's young crop of Rashford, Sancho to benefit from Cristiano Ronaldo’s winning mentality
While it was Sir Alex Ferguson, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra who spent hours on the phone trying to convince Ronaldo to rejoin the Red Devils, it is the current crop of players who will benefit the most from his arrival.
Players like Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have huge potential but they still need mentorship to take their games to the next level.
The importance of mentorship is clear in the improvements to Greenwood’s game, having spent just one season under the tutelage of Edinson Cavani.
The teenager has become more complete while his movement has also improved tremendously. That is the kind of influence that Ronaldo will have on Manchester United’s rising stars.
Despite the obvious talents of Rashford and Co, none of them is world-class yet. Cristiano Ronaldo, though, has been there and done it all, and his winning mentality can rub off on his younger teammates.
The 36-year-old is the ultimate professional and having him close can only be good for the development of Manchester United’s players. The Aon Training Complex should be buzzing in the coming weeks.
