Manchester United arguably pulled off the coup of the transfer window when they completed the deadline day signing of Cristiano Ronaldo for just €15m plus a potential €8m in add-ons.
The legendary Portuguese forward signed a two-year contract with the option of a third year to agree a return to United 12 years after he initially left the club in a then-world record £80m deal for Real Madrid.
During his first stint with the club he secured iconic status among fans, winning three Premier League titles, two League Cups, the Champions League and becoming the first United player to win the Ballon d’Or since George Best in 1968.
His flair and tricks matched with his tenacity, pace and incredible eye for goal made him the must-see attacker in world football, but at 36 years old now he’s a totally different animal.
An efficiency machine, Ronaldo is no longer a man who drifts in from the left wing and beats three players before pumping one into the top corner. He’s still got that in his locker, but he barely even attempts it now.
Instead, this is a man who largely camps himself in the penalty area between the width of the goal and converts chances at an extraordinary level.
While that is a manager’s dream to have a striker that can almost guarantee you 30+ goals per season in all competitions, it could cause a bit of an issue when you have a player like Bruno Fernandes in your team too.
