Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United came as a surprise to many fans. While rumours about him departing Juventus had floated around all summer, it did not feel like a move to Old Trafford was on the cards.
The Red Devils had already signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Tom Heaton, and another defensive midfielder is what they appeared to be lacking in the squad. But things picked up pace late in the transfer window.
At first, it looked like a move to Manchester City could be on the cards for the Portuguese superstar. But the Red Devils appeared to move swiftly to get a deal done and bring Ronaldo back to the Theatre of Dreams.
Thus, it looks like a deal that transpired late on in the summer transfer window. But Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that Ronaldo told him a month ago that he was moving to Manchester United. As reported by the Daily Mail, he told reporters at the New Knowledge Marathon in Moscow:
"‘A month ago, he told me that he was moving to Manchester United.‘I expected this deal to take place. I think that Manchester United is more suitable for him than Juventus. For me, the transition was not a surprise.’"
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Ronaldo told Khabib about Manchester United move a month ago
The friendship between Ronaldo and Khabib has grown over the years, with the UFC superstar being a massive fan of football. Thus, it should not come as a surprise that the Portuguese superstar told him about the move a month ago.
Now, it remains to be seen how things turn out for Ronaldo in his second stint at the Theatre of Dreams. He is certainly a very different player now than he was back in his first stint at the club. Back then, he was a tricky winger who had developed into a good goalscorer while now, his game is based much more on scoring goals on a consistent basis.
This is certainly a very exciting time to be a fan of the Red Devils. After years, it looks like the club are ready to challenge for the Premier League title and must be considered as one of the favourites to win it this season.