Rio Ferdinand revels in Cristiano Ronaldo’s expected return to Manchester United

Manchester United supporters have lauded ‘agent’ Rio Ferdinand after their former defender appeared to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo was set for an emotional return.

It was officially confirmed by Juventus today that Ronaldo wants to leave the club, and Manchester City looked to have moved into pole position after holding talks. 

But in a dramatic twist, it has now been revealed that City have dropped out of the running, leaving fierce rivals as the favourites to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford.

Rio Ferdinand has been revelling in former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo’s Old Trafford return

Ferdinand posted a video of him grinning after teasing Ronaldo’s Manchester United reunion

And Ferdinand looked to have been ahead of the news from the start, having posted a cryptic tweet which immediately sparked a wild reaction online.

Indeed, it has even been claimed that a number of Ronaldo’s former team-mates at United played a role in convincing him to snub City. 

After it surfaced that United are closing in on the superstar, he followed up his first post with a video showing him breaking into an all-knowing and cheeky grin.

In the replies, United fans have, unsurprisingly, been reduced to hysterics with many pleading for Ferdinand to be recognised for any part he has played in the move. 

An initial cryptic tweet from Ferdinand on Friday morning had sent United fans into meltdown

‘Rio Ferdinand statute outside Old Trafford is needed right now,’ one user has said.

‘Agent Rio I love you forever,’ another added.

England cricketer Sam Billings also used the same moniker for Ferdinand, writing: ‘Agent Rio… never in doubt!’ 

YouTuber Yung Chip, meanwhile, simply said: ‘I love you’.

United supporters even jokingly called for Ferdinand to have a statue built outside Old Trafford

The praise kept on coming, with a fifth user posting: ‘I am crying my heart out.’

‘You really got us [Raphael] Varane and Ronaldo in this window ffs, how can we repay you?’ another supporter wrote. 

A seventh cheekily said: ‘Best defending of your career was tackling that ridiculous City move.’

‘You personally called him, didn’t you?’ another overawed fan asked. 

Another stunned fan admitted they were ‘crying their heart out’ with Ronaldo set to come back

According to ESPN, a number of players who dazzled with Ronaldo at United sent him messages in the early hours of today, warning him he risked ruining his legacy.

This is said to have turned his head, and it now appears to be just a matter of time before his sensational homecoming is confirmed. 

Ronaldo waved goodbye to his Juventus team-mates with a brief 40-minute trip to their training ground today, when it had appeared that a switch to City beckoned.

Heading across to join the blue half of Manchester threatened to mar the memories from Ronaldo’s first spell at United, but City have now pulled out.

Ronaldo arrived at the Juventus training ground at 9:20am on Friday morning to bid farewell

United are now in pole position to sign Ronaldo after Manchester City dropped out of the race

Before that explosively broke into the public eye, Ferdinand tweeted a picture of Leonardo Di Caprio from the 2013 film The Great Gatsby.

The video that followed looks to have confirmed the early suspicions, with some reports even suggesting that Ronaldo will undergo his medical in Lisbon. 

His agent, Jorge Mendes, was in talks with City, but Juventus wanting £25million to green light the move threatened to be a stumbling block.

The Manchester Evening News believe that United tabled a contract for Ronaldo this morning following a late intervention from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Reports claim legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson spoke to Ronaldo in a last-gasp intervention 

It is expected that a two-year deal is being lined up, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer publicly admitted United were interested in a reunion in his press conference.  

‘Ronaldo is a legend of the club, and the greatest player of all time, if you ask me,’ said the United boss. ‘I didn’t think he’d leave Juventus. 

‘We’ve always had a good communication and I know Bruno (Fernandes) has been talking to him. 

‘He knows what we feel about him. If he was ever going to move away from Juventus, he knows we’re here.

Ronaldo has officially told Juventus of his desire to leave but his club are holding out for a fee

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that United were interested in Ronaldo in his press conference

‘When you are Messi, Ronaldo, Pogba or Bruno, you have to read a lot about yourself. Let’s see what happens with Cristiano, because he is a legend of this club.

‘I don’t want to speculate too much on Cristiano. We focus on the ones we have here. 

‘I’ve said many times, when you’re Man United or (Lionel) Messi, Ronaldo you read a lot about yourself.

‘I was fortunate to play with him and coach him. Everyone who has played with him has a soft spot for him.’

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