Cristiano Ronaldo rejoins Manchester United in shocking twist as Man City pulls out

• Cristiano Ronaldo is returning to Manchester United.
• The deal comes after crosstown rival Manchester City pulled out of a deal to land the striker.
• Ronaldo first rose to stardom with United from 2003-2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo is officially back with Manchester United, the club announced on Friday.

Ronaldo previously spent six years with Manchester United between 2003 and 2009.

-Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 27, 2021

The reunion between Ronaldo and Manchester United comes as a shock after a week of rumors linking the Juventus forward to United's crosstown rival Manchester City.

But according to reports on Friday, City pulled out of the race to sign the Portuguese superstar, opening the door for United to swoop in with an offer to Juventus to get Ronaldo back at Old Trafford.

According to The Guardian, United is sending a €25 million (US$29.5 million) transfer fee to Juventus plus add-ons and hopes to lock Ronaldo in for a two-year deal.

A decade ago, the Red Devils sent Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a then-record fee of €94 million. Now, the 36-year-old superstar looks set to return for his second stint with the club.