Manchester United signing Portuguese mega-star Cristiano Ronaldo sees the Red Devils earn a reported £30,000,000 commercially.
The veteran forward join Manchester United on Tuesday from Juventus. He penned a two-year contract with an option to extend a year further. The Portuguese makes a return to Old Trafford after 12 years at Real Madrid and Juventus.
The Italian giants will receive £12,860,000 up front with a further £6,860,000 coming in add-ons.
Ronaldo is one of the most financially successful athletes in history. Last year, his annual earnings of around £770,000,000 made him the first soccer player to earn 1 billion, according to Forbes estimates. Messi followed just a few months later. The two rivals remain the sport’s only players to have reached that milestone.
This year, Ronaldo ranked the third-highest-paid athlete in the world, behind Conor McGregor and Messi, with earnings of roughly £870,000,000. In addition, he has a lifetime deal with Nike, his sponsors include DAZN, Herbalife, MTG and Unilever.
CR7 returns to familiar pastures. The forward was a Red Devil from 2003 to 2009, winning 3 Premier League titles and the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League. During his time, he scored 783 goals in total. This is more than any player in football history, including the legendary Pelé.
United value hike with Ronaldo arrival
Manchester United could earn in excess of £30,000,000 during the first year back for Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese international’s arrival has already had an immediate financial impact on the Red Devils. Their shares shot up by almost 10% in price, adding around £212,000,000 to the value of the club.
The Red Devils have agreed to pay Ronaldo around £385,000 per week. This hefty salary adds him to the list of the highest-paid players in the Premier League. However, his deal is still quite a reduction on the £500,000-a-week salary he was earning in Italy.
