DEADLINE DAY has been and gone with Manchester United completing the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.The Portuguese icon, 36, has been confirmed as a United player once again after moving back to England.
Ronaldo is also set to take back his famous No 7 shirt from Edinson Cavani and could even take penalty duties off the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes.
The Portugal star will even head back to Manchester early as he is suspended for his country’s next game after taking his shirt off in the celebrations from their 2-1 win over Ireland on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho has been injured on England duty and United are waiting to see the extent of his problems.
Elsewhere, Daniel James has crossed the Pennines to sign a £30m deal with Leeds.
While Dortmund have issued a final hands off warning on Erling Haaland, with the chase for the striker’s signature likely to rumble on.
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COLE: MAN UTD BIGGEST CLUB IN ENGLAND AGAIN
Manchester United MUST win the Prem as Cristiano Ronaldo’s return finally makes them England’s biggest club again, Joe Cole claims.
Former Chelsea and England midfielder Cole rates capturing five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ron from Juventus a “stroke of genius”.
The ambassador for bookie Coral said: “Manchester United are now back front and centre as the biggest club in the country after signing Ronaldo.
“They have the biggest player in the league, with the biggest global reach, playing for them.
“It is a stroke of genius to bring him back to Old Trafford.”
I’M STILL EVRA SO EXCITED BY CRIS
Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Manchester United team-mate Patrice Evra is still bubbling with “excitement” at the master’s return.
This tweet reads like any fan’s…
BANNED RON’S RETURN BOOSTS UTD
Cristiano Ronaldo has been released from international duty after being banned for Portugal’s next World Cup qualifier.
Manchester United have now received a huge boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Newcastle after the news was confirmed on Thursday.
Ronaldo, 36, was handed a one-match suspension after being booked as he celebrated his record-setting late double in Portugal’s 2-1 comeback win against the Republic of Ireland.
And it saw him ruled out of Tuesday’s trip to Azerbaijan.
But Ronaldo will no longer have to stick around with Portugal, who first face Qatar in a friendly on Saturday, and is allowed to head for Carrington.
A statement from the Portuguese FA read: “Cristiano Ronaldo was excused from the national team on Thursday.
“The yellow card against Ireland, being the second in this stage of qualification, forces him to fulfil an official game of suspension, which will happen against Azerbaijan.
“This morning, the captain of the national team was part of the group of players who carried out recovery work at the hotel.”
ANGEL SAYS GAAL WAS A DEVIL
Angel Di Maria tore into Louis van Gaal as he explained why inheriting the No 7 top from legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, George Best was never his big problem at Manchestr United.
In fact, to put it politely, the PSG winger has fiercely contrasitng views on United’s ex boss and arguably their most famous shirt number…
The 111-cap Argentina star, 33, said: “I didn’t give a f*** about the Manchester United No 7 shirt.. my problem in Manchester was the coach.
Van Gaal was the worst of my career.
“I would score, assist, and the next day he would show me my misplaced passes..
“He didn’t like players being more than him.”
HOW ED TALKED GLAZERS INTO BUYING RON
Ed Woodward played a crucial role in ensuring the most incredible return in football history happened.
Sir Alex Ferguson is understandably hailed for his role in getting Cristiano Ronaldo back with his late phone call to the player.
But it would not have got near that point without Executive Vice-Chairman Woodward convincing the club’s owners and sponsors in a whirlwind 48 hours that it all made sense.
Forget the transfer fee for Ronaldo that comes to less than £20million.
It was the commitment to a wage of £75million if he completes the full three years of his contract, for a player who would be 39 at the end of it. To a bean-counter that just did not make sense.
But while sponsors and the owning Glazer family may look at the bottom line it was Woodward who convinced them how it would work on and off the pitch.
United fans often ridicule the club for the endless signing up of sponsors – they have 24 – and when executives point to social media figures.
Woodward convinced them this Ronaldo deal would really work for them.
And in the 24 hours after the announcement of Ronaldo’s return on social media was the most liked by a sports team ever with 12.9million likes.
The announcement on Twitter alone was likewise with 862,000 retweets and two million likes. They earned more than 3.7m new followers across the club’s social channels.
SOLSKJAER ‘BLOCKED 5 STARS FROM LEAVING’
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly blocked five players from leaving Manchester United during the summer transfer window.
According to The Mirror, he blocked moves for some of United’s fringe players, who were already struggling for playing time, to keep his squad depth high over the season.
Donny van de Beek is the most notable name that Solskjaer stopped from leaving over the summer.
Diogo Dalot also saw a potential loan move blocked after returning from Italy.
Anthony Elanga had also harboured hopes of leaving on loan to gain some experience, but Solskjaer believed his development was best served in Manchester.
TITLE AIM
Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof has insisted that he is excited by the competition created by the summer arrival of Raphael Varane.
The Swede has had his place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team threatened by the signing of the former Real Madrid star.
He told Swedish outlet FotbollDirekt: “It’s great, I play in one of the world’s biggest clubs and they have very good players. We will have a competitive situation and I only see it as positive that we have got a good player in the squad.
“I have played a lot the last two years and last year I had big problems with my back and played with pain. My back feels good now, there will probably be no problems, but I do not think I will play 50, 60 matches.
“I think the squad looks very good. It feels good, we have a good atmosphere in the team and the Premier League is always a tough league.
“But we will do everything we can to win the title. That is the goal.”
GREEN SHOOTS
Mason Greenwood continued his hot start to the season by scoring against Stoke City in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
Most Manchester United stars are currently off around the world on international duty.
But for those that aren’t, the Red Devils yesterday staged a behind-closed-doors friendly at Old Trafford.
According to the MEN, Greenwood scored yet again – but couldn’t prevent his side from falling to a 4-3 defeat.
The 19-year-old was surprisingly not included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, despite having scored in all three of Man United’s Premier League games so far this season.
‘HE’S FLYING’
Gary Neville believes Greenwood now has the perfect example in terms of professionalism.
He told the Webby and O’Neill Youtube channel: “The way Mason Greenwood is playing at the moment, he’s fit, he’s flying, he looks completely on top of his game. There’s no way he’s being left out.
“What Cristiano will do is make Mason understand the professionalism required pre-training, in training and in recovery. With Cristiano, he’s got an even better chance of becoming a great player.
“Aside from Harry Kane, I don’t see anybody close to Mason Greenwood as an English centre-forward. No-one, no-one’s near him.”
‘RISE OF ENERGY’
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United has given all the club’s teams “renewed energy”, says women’s team head coach Marc Skinner.
He said: “We feel in the staff – it’s not even just the players – with Cristiano returning, it becomes part of the bigger construct of the club.
“You can feel the vibes that are changing in the teams. I was speaking to someone who’s been here a long time because obviously that’s how you get to know the history of the club as well, and they can feel a renewed energy, a focus, a connected drive in all of the teams.
“It feels like, although Manchester can be quite grey, it definitely feels like there’s a rise of energy from all the teams in and around Manchester United.”
‘HE’LL LOVE IT’
Gary Neville believes Daniel James’ £25million transfer from Manchester United to Leeds United is a win-win for all concerned.
Neville thinks James will be perfect for Marcelo Bielsa’s brand of high energy, counter-attacking football – and that the deal is also very good for Manchester United.
He said: “It’s really good for Dan James. It’s one of those where this is a win-win. He came to United and always did his very best, he was a massive threat on the counter-attack, but they have a lot of players in those areas.
“It’s really important for young players to go and play, and Leeds have always wanted him. They wanted him the first time around when United got him instead.
“He’ll suit the way they play with such pace on the counter-attack. He’ll love it there, the crowd’s a big crowd, a club that demands a lot.
“It’s a good thing for United to get the money they did, and good for Dan to further his career at a good club.”
‘LIKE A ROLLS-ROYCE’
Ray Parlour was effusive in his praise of new Manchester United signing Raphael Varane after his composed debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
Parlour compared the impact of Varane to that of United legend Rio Ferdinand and Manchester City stalwart Ruben Dias – who won the Football Writers’ Player of the Year as City lifted the Premier League title and reached the final of the Champions League.
He said: “I think Varane had a really good game. He looked like a Rolls-Royce.
“You know like Rio back in his day for Manchester United?”
“Varane could be exactly the same as Ruben Dias. The impact he made at Manchester City, they will certainly have a go.
“You know Harry Maguire plays every game, he is a leader, and if they can get the partnership in the way that John Stones has really benefitted.”
RON TO WATCH
Fans desperate to watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s second debut for Manchester United are being asked to pay up to £2,500.
The Red Devils will take on Newcastle on Saturday the 11th in a 15:00 kick off, but the game won’t be televised in the UK due to the return of the 3pm blackout rule.
That means the only way for fans to watch the return of their legendary forward will be at Old Trafford, with prices now soaring for the privilege.
American resale site StubHub have been asking fans to cough up as much as £2,514 to watch the game.
‘SPECIAL MOMENT’
Manchester United’s new signing Cristiano Ronaldo says breaking the men’s international goals record is one of his proudest achievements yet.
Posting on Instagram, Ronaldo expressed to his 300 million plus followers just how much the feat meant to him and how proud he was to accomplish it.
He wrote: “First of all, because every time I represent my country is a special moment, for knowing that I’m defending Portugal and showing to the world what Portuguese people are made of.
“Secondly, because national teams competitions have always had a very strong impact in me as I was growing up, watching my idols playing for their flags every other summer in Euros and in World Cups.
“But finally and above all, because scoring 111 goals for Portugal means 111 moments like the ones we experienced today in Algarve, moments of worldwide union and happiness for millions and millions of Portuguese citizens all around the globe. For them, every sacrifice is worth it.”
‘RECHARGE’
Manchester United star Fred is on holiday in Croatia after being blocked from international duty.
Fred was not permitted to link up with the Brazil international squad by United, upon Premier League instructions.
Premier League clubs refused to release players travelling to ‘red list’ countries for internationals, as it would require a 10 days quarantine upon return.
Fred has this morning shared an Instagram video from the beach in Split, Croatia as he looks to ‘recharge’.
‘COULD BE A LEGEND’
Danny Murphy has admitted that he’s concerned for Mason Greenwood after Manchester United re-signed Cristiano Ronaldo.
Murphy believes Greenwood’s game time could now be severely affected by the signing of the Portuguese legend.
He told talkSPORT: “He’s 19, what he’s got is the natural knack to finish. He scores goals effortlessly with both feat, in fact I can’t remember a forward being so effortlessly with both feat since Robbie Fowler.
“He was comfortable either way and Greenwood looks comfortable on his right foot.
My concern for him is the singing of Ronaldo, I don’t want to put a downer on it as I can’t wait to see one of the best players play in the Premier League and its going to be fascinating how he fits into the team and how he builds relationships with [Bruno] Fernandes and [Jadon] Sancho.
“Ithink Greenwood, although we may have to wait a little longer due to Ronaldo’s signing, could go on to be an absolute legend for United. Ronaldo is going to delay his progression.”
REAL DEAL
Real Madrid are interested in Paul Pogba and could try to steal him away from Old Trafford when his contract expires next summer.
The midfielder has been a top target for Paris Saint-Germain but they were unable to secure a deal for the Frenchman this summer.
Manchester United are keen to keep Pogba at the club and have offered him a new contract, but talks are ongoing.
‘HE DEFIES BELIEF’
Cristiano Ronaldo has been labelled the ‘greatest goalscorer of all time’ after breaking the international record on Wednesday night.
Jason Cundy insists the record cements Ronaldo’s place as football’s greatest ever forward.
“He is a joke. He defies belief. He’s a freak of nature. He is the greatest goalscoring no.9 the world has ever seen.
“With Ronaldo there… can United win the title? The answer to that question is emphatically, ‘Yes’.
“If you say, ‘No, they can’t win it’ – then you’re an idiot.”
‘HE DIDN’T GIVE A F***’
Angel Di Maria has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo got into a fight with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid after the Portuguese coach labelled him lazy.
The pair won the LaLiga title and Copa del Rey during their time together, but Di Maria – who was also at Real Madrid during the same period – admits it did boil over between the pair.
Speaking to Libero, the Argentine said: “Mourinho is insane, with me he was always a good guy.
“He fought with anyone though, he didn’t give a f***.
“One time he fought with Ronaldo telling him he didn’t run, that everyone ran for him.”
OLE SAYS NO
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly blocked five players from leaving Manchester United during the summer transfer window.
According to The Mirror, he blocked moves for some of United’s fringe players, who were already struggling for playing time, to keep his squad depth high over the season.
Donny van de Beek is the most notable name that Solskjaer stopped from leaving over the summer.
Diogo Dalot also saw a potential loan move blocked after returning from Italy.
Anthony Elanga had also harboured hopes of leaving on loan to gain some experience, but Solskjaer believed his development was best served in Manchester.
MAD MAX
Juventus boss Max Allegri was said to have been left ‘furious’ about Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock exit.
The returning Old Lady manager wasn’t told that Ronaldo would be leaving the club when he agreed to come back.
According to Il Giornale, Allegri is “furious” with club president Andrea Agnelli and sporting director Federico Cherubini.
He reportedly told club bosses that “these were not the agreements” when he agreed to return to the club.
Juventus have signed Moise Kean from Everton and Euro 2020 star Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo this summer.
BISS PLEASE
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are set to battle it out for Brighton star Yves Bissouma, according to reports.
Graham Potter’s side managed to fend off any interest over the summer with their price tag but they may not be so lucky in January.
According to Metro’s Aden-Jay Wood, ‘several clubs’ including Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool have ‘long-standing interest’ in Bissouma.
Surprisingly, Brighton received no official bids for the 25-year-old over the summer.
But interest could be ‘revisited’ in January.
DONNY MOVE?
Everton staff had ‘serious reservations’ about Marcel Brands pursuing a deal for Manchester United midfielder Donny Van de Beek on deadline day.
That’s according to The Telegraph, who claims that Brands explored a potential move to bring Va ode Beek to Goodison Park in the final hours of the transfer window.
No formal approach was made, but Brands allegedly spoke to Van de Beek’s agent Guido Albers to gauge the interest in a move to Everton.
‘COULD HAVE BEEN MASSIVE’
Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact at Manchester City would have been bigger than the impact he’ll have at Manchester United, Trevor Sinclair has suggested.
Former Manchester City star Sinclair said: “I feel his impact at Manchester City would have been huge.
“They haven’t got a striker, they need one, the possession and the amount of chances they carve out and don’t get finished because they haven’t got an out and out striker such as [Sergio] Aguero or someone like Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Of course he would [have been a better fit at Man City], Man United have got Edinson Cavani, who does a very similar job.
“I’m sure Manchester United fans are delighted that he’s gone to Manchester United, but whether he’s gonna change their whole season I don’t think that’s the case, he could have been massive for Manchester City.”
‘TRULY PROUD’
Cristiano Ronaldo created history on Wednesday night, scoring his 110th and 111th international goals to break the record held by Ali Daei.
Iran legend Daei scored 109 goals in 149 appearances for his country but saw his remarkable record equalled by Ronaldo during Euro 2020 in June.
Daei praised Cristiano at the time, writing on Instagram: “I am honoured that this remarkable achievement will belong to Ronaldo – great champion of football and caring humanist who inspires and impacts lives throughout the world.”
And after breaking the record Ronaldo said: “I can’t even start to express myself in words! I’m thrilled with an overwhelming sensation! Let’s go, Portugal! Let’s go!
“From all the records that I have broken during my career – and fortunately there have been a few – this one is very special for me and it’s certainly on the shelf of the achievements that make me truly proud.”
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