Arsene Wenger reckons an emotional angle involved in Manchester United’s decision to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United finished their exceptional transfer business leaving the best bit for the final days of the window. The club’s re-signing of Cristiano Ronaldo sent its fanbase into a frenzy, with the Portuguese tipped to bring a winning mentality back into the side.
While the signing of the Portuguese has received praises and criticism in equal measures, it does improve Manchester United’s overall attacking quality compared to their current options. The striker is tipped to help the club win the Premier League title, which they last won during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in 2013.
Ronaldo left Old Trafford back in 2009 after winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League crown with Manchester United. At Real Madrid, he enjoyed unprecedented success winning the European crown four times and two La Liga crowns. He added further titles after moving to Juventus, before returning.
While many have suggested Ronaldo’s arrival could disrupt the squad, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has built during his two seasons at the helm; some regard him as the difference-maker. Arsene Wenger, however, has mixed ideas, suggesting there could be an ’emotional’ angle behind the signing.
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7️⃣ @Cristiano#MUFC | #RonaldoReturns pic.twitter.com/k5ss3CUaUO
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 2, 2021
Wenger suggested the signing may not be ‘100% rational’ for Manchester United but believes Ronaldo will bring goals. Quotes from his session with Bild Live appeared across multiple media outlets, and Football365 posted some of his comments over the Portuguese superstar’s return to Old Trafford.
Wenger said, “This is a love story that you want to see. [He was re-signed] for more than just sporting reasons; it’s also emotional. I think the decision is not 100% rational. Finding a balance in the team is a big challenge. But the players with a lot of experience still score a lot.”
Later Wenger was quizzed on when he missed out on signing Ronaldo, as Ferguson’ snatched’ him away. Wenger reiterated the tale of what became one of the most famous transfer stories of that time.
The Frenchman commented, “He was at our training ground and even wore an Arsenal jersey! But we could only pay €4million (£3.4m) back then. [Sir Alex] snatched him from me! And for €12m (£10.2m).”
What Wenger says about the signing does make sense, but Ronaldo has proven time and again his ability to get plenty of goals. Manchester United have surely got a player with an elite winning mentality, one who could help them win honours this season.
