What does Cristiano Ronaldo bring to Manchester United?

Wow. That’s the word that comes into my head when I think about this transfer. As a Seventeen-year-old Manchester United fan I never got to experience Cristiano Ronaldo terrorising defences in England and beyond whilst wearing the red of Manchester United. Instead, I have grown up watching him play for Real Madrid and Juventus whilst being, in my opinion, the best player in the world. I’ve watched countless videos of Cristiano at Manchester United. I’ve seen his skills, goals, moments of magic which all help the team I support lift yet another trophy. So from the moment I heard from Fabrizio Romano and various other news outlets that a return to Old Trafford was on the cards, even before that when it seemed nearly certain he was heading to the blue side of Manchester, I began to hope and imagine.

I started to imagine this legend returning to what I and many others see as his home. Leaving the club as the best player in the world and returning as an established legend. Now, I no longer have to hope or imagine. It’s reality.

So, what does 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo bring to Manchester United? He’s no longer a pacey skill-obsessed winger who beats five players and then sticks the ball in the top corner. He’s a more traditional no.9, an out and out centre-forward who has one thing on his mind, goals. He plays more between the sticks than he used to. His movement in and around the box is lethal. He can score with either foot from any angle, can outjump any defender before smashing a header pass the goalkeeper and draws opposition players towards him, creating space for teammates. Cristiano still possesses a decent amount of pace and can still sit defenders down when one-on-one with his dribbling and may on occasion be deployed out-wide by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However Cristiano will still get into wider areas and take on players regardless of his starting position to either create a goal for a teammate or create a chance for himself.

His contribution on the pitch will be, in my opinion, outstanding. But what he brings off the pitch is as, if not more, significant. Cristiano is a winner, losing isn’t part of his DNA. He won’t panic when everything seems to be going against your team. He knows what to do in a commanding position, he knows how to help a team win. This winning mentality is something Manchester United have lacked at times these last few years. In the past players may have accepted slight improvement without any significant reward, like a trophy. But Cristiano hasn’t come here to retire and accept the slightest improvement each season. He’s here to win another Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and all the individual accolades available to him. He won’t accept anything other than victory, success and trophies. A true leader.

I’m very excited to see Cristiano back at Old Trafford, the place I feel he belongs. I can’t wait to watch him play in the shirt I love and hopefully I get the chance to see him live, a dream I’ve always had.

Let’s hope he can be the final piece of the jigsaw and help Manchester United get back to where they belong, winning the top trophies in world football.

Jack

Please note: The football articles that feature on this site are being written by Jack Dixon as part of his work experience. He is a teenager and looking for work experience within the football industry. He is currently studying for his media and art A-levels.