Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United Transfer: Red Devils Preparing Bid Following Rafa Benitez, Ronaldo Training ‘Argument’

Manchester United are reportedly preparing an audacious bid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid, six years after they originally sold the forward to the club.

Manchester Evening News have alleged that United are currently mulling a bid for Ronaldo, who they believe will help return the club to the top of the Premier League.

It’s also been reported that United are willing to pay a club-record fee to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford. Manchester United received £80 million ($125 million) from Real Madrid back in 2009 for the Portuguese forward.

And while they’re not looking to come close to that sum, they are prepared to spend more than the £59.7 million ($92.63 million) that it took to prize Angel Di Maria from Madrid last summer.

United believe that the purchase of Ronaldo could be possible, especially after video footage of the forward “arguing” with new Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez during a recent training programme emerged. It’s also been speculated that Ronaldo is both unhappy with Benitez’s appointment, and the fact that the Spanish coach plans to start him as a centre forward rather than in his favored position on the left wing.

Louis Van Gaal and his Manchester United cohorts believe that this marquee signature would signal their intent for the Red Devils to truly compete with Manchester City and last year’s Premier League champions Chelsea next campaign.

If Manchester United did purchase Cristiano Ronaldo over the coming weeks, he would be their fifth signing of the summer. United have already brought in the likes of Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Morgan Schneiderlin over the last few weeks.

But Ronaldo’s signature would truly excite the United faithful at Old Trafford in a manner unlike any of these purchases. Manchester United fans have been pining for the return for the Portuguese forward to Old Trafford ever since he left in the summer of 2009.

Ronaldo had a scintillating spell at Manchester United between 2003 and 2009, where he helped lead the Red Devils to three Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League trophy, and a plethora of other cup honors.

But Ronaldo had always made it know that he’d like to ply his trade at the Bernabeu with Real Madrid. And after managing to keep their interest at bay for several seasons, in 2009 United accepted a world record bid that allowed Ronaldo to do just that.

That hasn’t stopped the United faithful from singing Ronaldo’s name on the terraces on a weekly basis since his departure though. Meanwhile Ronaldo has always made it known that he’d be interested in returning to United too, which is what makes these rumors just that tantalisingly possible.

[Image via BP]