In Focus: Ronaldo return could have brought Man United to the next level

As reported by The Sunday Times, Cristiano Ronaldo could have been a Manchester United player this summer with Real Madrid open to starting negotiations for the forward.

What’s the story?

Ronaldo was, of course, a legend at Old Trafford and has only enhanced his reputation since leaving the club for Madrid, becoming unarguably one of the best players on the planet.

The Times reckon he could have made a sensational switch back to Manchester this summer with the player making it clear he would return to the club where he made his name as a footballer.

However, the deal was scuppered because Kylian Mbappe’s father did not want his son to move to Madrid and be burdened with the expectation of replacing the Portuguese legend, meaning the Spanish giants would not sanction his exit, say the paper.

While perhaps rather bizarre circumstances, the story demonstrates how fragile potential deals can be sometimes even at the top level.

What could he have achieved at Man United?

Manchester United look like a team on the up under Jose Mourinho and adding a returning Cristiano Ronaldo to the mix could have taken them to the next level. Could you imagine the fairytale story of Ronaldo coming back to Manchester and bringing them back to the trophy winning glory days? There’s a romance there that is undeniable.

His goalscoring prowess is second to none. He’s netted a ridiculous 407 goals in 396 Madrid appearances.

Adding that to the United team is unthinkable and Red Devils supporters must be cursing the potential deal falling through in the manner it did.