Debunking The Transfer Of Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United

It’s been a rocky ride for Cristiano Ronaldo in his second stint at Manchester United. There are only a handful of people who could claim to have a legacy and a career like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Thousands of professionals have graced the football pitch but no one has done it the way this man from Madeira, Portugal did it.

Not many could have a claim of conquering Spanish, English and Italian football. Not only did he conquer them but he has also carved his name in the golden letters in the respective leagues. Cristiano has so far had a very successful career.

His recent return to Old Trafford was seen as something astonishing as the Manchester United legend decided to come back for one last dance — but some critics saw it as nothing more than a PR stunt by the Old Trafford legend.

What caused a return back to Old Trafford?

Cristiano Ronaldo showed his displeasure at Juventus. He appeared to not be enjoying playing at the Allianz Stadium, hence, he asked for a move away from the Old Lady.

There were many speculations and assumptions as to why he wanted to leave the Old Lady; the Italian news outlet, La Republica, reported that Cristiano wanted a move away from Juventus because of Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona that very season.

According to them: it destroyed his self-esteem but it does not seem to be the real reason behind his request for a transfer. The real reason could be traced by judging the season and recent performance of the club at the time.

In the 3 seasons that Ronaldo spent there, he did not play a single semifinal in the Uefa Champions League. He has won the biggest competition in European club football 5 times but he wants to compete for it every single try he gets. Even this season, Man United barely qualified for the Champions League.

Cristiano wanted a new challenge and a team with a winning mentality. He reportedly offered himself to his former club Real Madrid and to Pep’s Man City. He was close to signing for United’s rivals. That made his former club anxious and consequently, the Red Devils offered him a way back to The Theatre of Dreams.

Pundits were not in favor of his return as some even argued that he would be a shadow of his former self. However, he proved his critics wrong when he found the back of the net twice on his 2nd debut for the Red Devils against Newcastle. Scoring wise, he has been pretty decent.

He has now found the back of the net 8 times in the league and 6 times in the Champions League. Worryingly, many have questioned his contribution other than just being a goalscorer and have begged the question, is Ronaldo hindering their performances?

Was it wise to return to Manchester United?

In a game like football, at times just by scoring you can conceal your bad performances. But that could not last long to be fair. Even though Cristiano was still scoring, it was not certain as to why did he return?

He did not have much to contribute, on the field. Fans were mortified when United lost against their bitter rivals Liverpool 5-0 at Old Trafford. Many would argue that Cristiano does not press anymore. That is quite valid.

However, it is harsh to blame him for the downfall of the club. Manchester United have not been the club that once was feared in the whole of Europe. They bought Cristiano to change their fate.

Unfortunately, it was a long shot to be fair. Relying on a 36-year-old is a bit of high risk. Though Cristiano arguably is the greatest of all time, the return to United was not all-wise.

Youngsters like Rashford and Greenwood should be held responsible for shaping the team. They are the ones that would be leading the club in the future.

Cristiano merely is for their guidance now. He is in the final stretch of his career. At this point, he should not be the one carrying the team. It is not reasonable to ask that of him.

Could Ronaldo depart his summer?

Players like Ronaldo settles for nothing but the best. They have a reputation to maintain. As it stands Manchester United does not seem to be in a comfortable spot on the league table.

They might miss out on playing in the Champions League next season. CR7 would not accept playing for anything less than the Champions League and has made it known when asked about his European aspirations.

If the club fails to qualify then we might see him depart. Recently, he was taken off by manager Ralf Rangnick, against Brentford. Ronaldo did not take that pleasantly. Players like Cristiano would want to be the system and not be a part of it.

If he departs then it could be a good thing for both parties. Cristiano deserves to play more freely in the last few years of his career. Also, the new talent of Man United should take up the torch of taking the club back to its glorious days.