Manchester United have gone right down to the wire with deadline day signings on more than one occasion, including one particularly high-profile arrival at Old Trafford
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Manchester United fans celebrate after the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at London Stadium on September 19, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
Manchester United fans were celebrating as the 2021 summer window neared a close(Image: Craig Mercer/MB Media, Getty Images)
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The January transfer window hasn't typically been a hive of activity for Manchester United, but they're no strangers to a last-minute deal in the winter or the summer.
This year, as Michael Carrick attempts to deliver European qualification, they must decide whether to engage in any eleventh-hour transactions. The club took most of the winter window to secure Patrick Dorgu this time last year and have previously left it late at the tail end of summer windows.
This season, their last-minute manoeuvring saw Senne Lammens arrive at Old Trafford in September, making way for Andre Onana to depart on loan. However, back in the summer of 2021, an even more high-profile deal was finalised in the closing moments of the window. Not that there wasn't early business as well.
United had set the ball rolling early in the window as they aimed to build on their Europa League final appearance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. England international Jadon Sancho's £73million move from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed while the winger was away at the European Championships, linking up with his new team-mates shortly after the final, while Raphael Varane was unveiled on the first weekend of the season after transferring from Real Madrid.
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It seemed that might be the extent of the business. Yet, as the window drew to a close, rumours began to circulate that Cristiano Ronaldo could be up for grabs after three seasons with Juventus.
Ronaldo was still held in high regard by United fans from his initial tenure at the club. The pinnacle of that period came in the 2007/08 season when he netted 42 goals across all competitions, helping the Red Devils secure both the Premier League and Champions League titles.
During those 12 years away, Ronaldo had primarily starred for Real Madrid, claiming four additional Champions League crowns and four more Ballon d'Or awards to complement the one he'd secured whilst at United. His Juventus stint may have yielded less silverware, but his tally of 101 goals in 134 appearances demonstrated he remained a force at the highest level.
A Manchester United fan holding up a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt in the crowd in September 2021
United fans were over the moon with Ronaldo's return(Image: IAN KINGTON, AFP via Getty Images)
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Ronaldo was 36 by the time he rejoined United and so the fee was never going to be up there with the sum the club received from Real Madrid when selling him in 2009, while fans were delighted to see him return to Old Trafford when it briefly looked as though he might join local rivals Manchester City. The transfer fee was around £13million, combined with substantial weekly wages of £385,000, meaning the deal was worth approximately £38m all in.
Many supporters allowed sentiment to overshadow any concerns about the financial commitment. Ronaldo shirts flew off the rails and fans' delight was plain to see after the nostalgic return.
"Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday," Ronaldo said in his first interview after coming back to the club where he spent several fruitful years under Ferguson.
"I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again. I'm looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead."
Unfortunately for both player and club, the euphoria proved short-lived. Whilst there were encouraging signs in the first campaign, with Ronaldo emerging as United's leading scorer with 18 league goals, Solskjaer was dismissed just months into the season and caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick couldn't deliver Champions League football.
Erik ten Hag arrived as permanent manager in the summer of 2022 and it quickly became apparent Ronaldo was no longer guaranteed a starting berth. He was used sparingly by Ten Hag in the Premier League before the mid-season pause for the winter World Cup in Qatar and sparked controversy when he departed halfway through the campaign following an interview with Piers Morgan in which he took aim at the club.
Matters evidently didn't conclude as Ronaldo and the supporters would have hoped. Nevertheless, they'll forever cherish the exhilaration of those days when the seemingly slim prospect of a Ronaldo homecoming transformed into reality.