Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
After news broke of Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Manchester United, fans and pundits went wild. The Portuguese footballer and five-time Ballon d'Or winner signed a two-year contract with the Red Devils, returning to Old Trafford this month for the first time in over a decade. As Ronaldo once again slips into the No. 7 jersey (as Edinson Cavani moves to No. 21), shirt sales have sky-rocketed, hitting a ridiculous £187 million since his return was announced.
The world-renowned footballer signed with Manchester United for the first time in 2003, at the tender age of 18, where he contributed towards an FA Cup win in his first season. During his first stint at Manchester United, he also went on to bag three consecutive Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FIFA World Cup, all before he turned 23.
In 2009, Ronaldo traded in his Red Devils shirt for Real Madrid for what was to become the then-most expensive football transfer in history, with a value of £80 million. Ronaldo then continued his winning streak with Real Madrid, winning 15 trophies and becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer. Ronaldo moved to Juventas in 2018 and now makes his full-circle return to the place where it all started.
Shock transfers like Ronaldo's only make things more exciting in terms of the odds: Manchester United, who are fourth-favourites in the standings, are currently 6/1 to be crowned the winners according to the outright Premier League football betting markets. In addition, Ronaldo himself is up at 4/1 odds to take the PFA Player of the Year accolade. Bettors are clamouring to place their wagers on how upcoming games will play out, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool now effectively challenged by the Red Devils' unexpectedly formidable line-up.
The club confirmed that Ronaldo's return led to massive online competition demands as fans were determined to win a chance at seeing their favourite player return to the club they love. Tickets sold out on the Manchester United website quickly and thousands of die-hard fans have purchased a replica jersey since the announcement of his return to Old Trafford. According to research company Lovethesales.com, Ronaldo's shirt has become the fastest-selling football jersey in Premier League history. What's more, they've stated that demand is outweighing supply, which means sales are only expected to rise.
But, unfortunately for the Red Devils, they only receive 7% of sales of the shirt, which is a no-too-shabby £13.1 million. On the plus side, that covers the £12.9 million transfer fee for the football star, plus some change. This confirms Ronaldo's transfer to Manchester United as the transfer of the summer, possibly for a few summers to come.
In comparison, one of football's all-time greats, Messi's shirt sales at Paris Saint-Germain reached £103.8 million, with the club earning a cool £7.3 million. While Messi has reigned supreme as the top footballer in recent years, Ronaldo's return proves that the 36-year-old's return to form means he remains one of the best and most profitable players in football history. Fans, experts and football bettors are expecting a thrilling season - one of the most anticipated in Premier League history.
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