Match of the Day presenter Lineker revealed that he lives next-door to Manchester United’s chief govt Ed Woodward, who was at his home when the deal was negotiated.
“I am going to put my playing cards on the desk, Ed Woodward’s a very good buddy of mine — he is my neighbor. He signed Cristiano Ronaldo when he was in my backyard,” Lineker stated on Match of the Day’s Prime 10 podcast.
“It was superior. I knew when he walked in and he was on the telephone to Mendes [Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo’s agent] or somebody.
“I hope I have not given an excessive amount of away right here however he did signal him. I bought a implausible image of him on the telephone within the again backyard which I’d share in the future along with his permission.”
The dramatic developments of Ronaldo’s return had been solely amplified by the reported curiosity of United’s native rival Manchester Metropolis, however the five-time Ballon d’Or winner ultimately signed a deal to rejoin the membership he spent six years at between 2003 and 2009.
Homecoming
Nevertheless, Ronaldo’s assured return has contrasted to an altogether stuttering begin for his facet and former teammate-turned-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Having performed alongside the Norwegian throughout his first spell in Manchester, Ronaldo now finds himself tasked with serving to to ease the strain on Solskjaer following a string of poor outcomes.
Requested if he regretted the choice, Solskjaer replied: “No. You make selections all through a protracted, lengthy season, and you have to handle the gamers’ workload.
“The choice was, for me, the proper one right now.”
Having come on as a second-half substitute, Ronaldo lower a pissed off determine as he left the pitch on the finish of the Everton draw, a end result that noticed United miss the prospect to go stage on factors with chief Chelsea.
A story of two signings
Issues concerning the membership’s blended begin to the marketing campaign will solely be heightened by a look on the schedule for the winter months. United faces Leicester Metropolis, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester Metropolis, Chelsea and Arsenal inside its subsequent seven Premier League matches.
Equally, Ronaldo’s robust type has overshadowed a comparatively disappointing begin for fellow summer season arrival Jadon Sancho.
Following a glowing four-year spell in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, the English winger’s long-running switch saga lastly concluded along with his transfer to United following Euro 2020.
Touted because the lacking piece of the puzzle to unravel the membership’s issues at proper wing, Sancho is but to attain in a United shirt.
Nevertheless, an encouraging second-half cameo from Sancho in opposition to Everton was a silver lining of an altogether disappointing afternoon on Saturday; Solskjaer and United can be hoping the efficiency was an indication of issues to come back from a 21-year-old with plain means.
