Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he is ready to make his second debut for Manchester United.
In what was a remarkable final few days of the transfer window, United managed to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford 12 years on from his departure for Real Madrid.
It had appeared that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was heading for cross-town rivals Manchester City as he sought a route out of Juventus, but conversations with Sir Alex Ferguson and various club legends helped swing the tide back in United’s favour.
The club then pounced and paid Juventus €15million, which could rise to €23million, to bring Ronaldo back to Manchester and he has even been handed his old No.7 shirt after Edinson Cavani agreed to give it up and take No.21 instead.
After leaving the Portuguese national team squad early last week as he was suspended for their final World Cup qualifier of the break, Ronaldo returned to training at Carrington on Tuesday ahead of his United comeback.
Saturday’s Premier League fixture with Newcastle United has been earmarked as the game in which the 36-year-old could pull on a red shirt for the first time in over a decade and he has hinted that he is ready to get down to business.
After posting photographs of himself in United training on Instagram on Thursday, Ronaldo wrote in the caption: “New challenge, but always the same goals!
“Let’s go #manchesterunited,” accompanied with a muscle and prayer emoji.
It certainly appears that Ronaldo is ready and raring to make his second United debut, a match that will not be broadcast in the UK as it wasn’t selected for television broadcast by Sky Sports or BT Sports.