Premier League Power house Man Utd earlier announced on Friday they had reached an agreement with Juventus to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo with the club ready to pay €15m (£12.9m) plus a further €8m (£6.9m) in add-ons for the Portugal captain, who completed a medical in Lisbon over the weekend.

The 36-yrs-old Portuguese scored 118 goals in 292 games for United between 2003 and 2009, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two League Cups as well as many individual awards.

“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.

“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.”

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played with Ronaldo during his previous spell at United, added: “You run out of words to describe Cristiano.

“He is not only a marvellous player, but also a great human being. To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level for such a long period requires a very special person. I have no doubt that he will continue to impress us all and his experience will be so vital for the younger players in the squad.

“Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started.”

Age has not blunted his goalscoring instincts. In fact, he has scored more times in the last three seasons in Italy than he did in the final three of his first stint with Manchester United.

He remains remarkably robust for a player of his age too. Across his three full seasons in Turin, Ronaldo featured in 85 per cent of Juventus’ Serie A fixtures and an even higher percentage of their Champions League games.

The numbers will encourage Solskjaer and United that he has plenty left to offer. Ronaldo turns 37 in February but he remains one of the world’s best players. And crucially, for a side which needs more of them, he still brings a guarantee of goals too.

Ronaldo’s major trophies
5x Champions League
3x Premier League
2x La Liga
2x Serie A
1x European Championship
1x FA Cup
2x League Cup
4x FIFA Club World Cup
2x Copa del Rey
1x Coppa Italia
1x UEFA Nations League
2x UEFA Super Cup