Ronaldo’s Return to Manchester United Is Nostalgic Pragmatism

After flirting with joining Manchester City, Cristiano Ronaldo will instead head back to the team where he became a star. The reality is, almost no other club could afford him.

Massimiliano Allegri, given the circumstances, was surprisingly phlegmatic. His team’s first home game of the season was just a couple of days away, and the Juventus coach had just been told that the player around whom his club had painstakingly constructed its modern identity was no longer available for selection. There was no debate, no back and forth, no discussion. It had been decided. Allegri was nothing more than an observer. Juventus did not have a say in the matter. Cristiano Ronaldo had no intention of playing for the club again. He would be leaving, effective immediately. And that was that. Admittedly, the news probably did not come as a shock to Allegri. It was not yet a week since Ronaldo had declared it might be best for him not to start Juventus’ opening fixture of the campaign. An injury might jeopardize his chances of a move in the final throes of the summer transfer window. He would be a substitute, and nothing more.