Transfer Centre

How Manchester United could line up with Cristiano Ronaldo

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 12 November 2020

Amid reports linking Cristiano Ronaldo with a sensational move back to Manchester United, Sports Mole looks at how the Red Devils could line up with the Portugal star.

Manchester United fans have been offered hope that former player Cristiano Ronaldo could be set to return to Old Trafford next summer.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored 118 goals in 292 appearances for the Red Devils from 2003 to 2009, before leaving for Real Madrid in a then-world record £80m deal.

However, reports have suggested that Ronaldo would be open to returning to United next summer, 12 years after leaving, amid increasing speculation regarding his future at Juventus.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Man United could line up should that blockbuster move take place.

Ronaldo will be 36 in February, but he would still be a sure-fire starter for Manchester United given that he continues to return remarkable numbers for his age - six goals in four Serie A games so far this season and 58 in 68 for Juventus overall.

Plenty has changed in the years since he left Old Trafford, including his own position, and he would be returning as a centre-forward rather than a winger, where he featured for the vast majority of his United career.

Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani and Odion Ighalo currently provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's main centre-forward options, but Ronaldo would immediately move to the top of that pecking order.

The Portugal captain, who now has 102 international goals to his name, often plays in a front two at Juventus and so Solskjaer could look to switch his formation to see Ronaldo play alongside Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood up front.

Either way, those two academy products are likely to keep their places in the XI even if Ronaldo arrives, while Bruno Fernandes may be the only person who would rival his compatriot to be the first name on the team sheet.

In terms of profile, Paul Pogba would arguably be next in line after Ronaldo at the club, although the Frenchman has been heavily tipped to leave next summer having once again fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks, with Solskjaer preferring Fred and Scott McTominay.