Cristiano Ronaldo to become Premier League's highest paid player following United return

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to become not only Manchester United's highest-paid player but also the Premier League's highest-paid player following his transfer from Juventus. Ronaldo's stunning homecoming to Old Trafford will earn him £480,000 a week, making him the league's highest-paid player. On Friday, August 27, the Portuguese superstar made a spectacular return to United after it was looking more and more likely that he going to join cross-town rivals Manchester City only hours before.

Ronaldo to become the highest-paid player in the Premier League

As per reports, City had been leading the race to land Ronaldo's signature. However, they were said to have pulled out of the negotiations and United were able to sign their former player after reportedly speaking to Sir Alex Ferguson, who apparently changed Ronaldo's mind. According to The Sun, Ronaldo's new contract from United will see him earn £480,000 per week and would propel him to the top of the Premier League's highest-paid players.

The massive wages will propel him to the top ahead of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne who is reportedly earning around £385,000 per week. He has also surpassed David de Gea, who makes £375,000 per week on his United contract. Paul Pogba was second on United's list with £290k per week, while United's new acquisitions Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane make £350k and £340k per week, respectively.

Ronaldo surpasses Messi's announcement post on social media

On August 27, Manchester United's official Twitter account announced Ronaldo's return to the club, and the post has received nearly 2 million likes since then. On the other hand, PSG's social media post about Lionel Messi's signing has received just over 800,000 likes since being shared on August 11. It is worth noting that Manchester United enjoys a bigger following on social media than the French club PSG, which may be one of the reasons behind the gap in reach.

Cristiano Ronaldo's homecoming

Ronaldo recently returned to Manchester United, where he made 196 appearances, managed to rack up 84 goals and won his first of five Ballon d'Or titles. Ronaldo won three Premier League titles at Manchester United as well as a Champions League crown between 2003 to 2009. Ronaldo's record-breaking transfer from United to La Liga club Real Madrid made him the most expensive football player in the world. He played for the Spanish club until 2018 before moving to Italy's Juventus. As per reports, Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract with the club worth €25 million.

Meanwhile, Messi ended his 17-year run with Barcelona as he joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on August 10. As per reports, Messi has signed a two-year contract worth €35 million per season with PSG. The contract includes bonuses and an option to extend it to June 2024. PSG's coach Mauricio Pochettino dropped a hint that Messi might make his debut for his new club in the PSG vs Reims game on August 30. 

(Image Credits: AP)