‘United In A Sensational Deal with Ronaldo

By Tafadzwa Mpofu

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous No7s in Manchester United history – and he is about to get a second chance to make an impact at Old Trafford.

United have agreed a sensational deal for Ronaldo on Friday to return to the club, 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has made the number seven shirt his own in the same way that No23 was Michael Jordan’s number, with the Portuguese forward building his brand around ‘CR7’.

That suggests it is unlikely that Ronaldo would accept anything less than the same hallowed number he previously had at United, which has also been worn by club legends such as Denis Law, George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.

However, Edinson Cavani currently occupies the famous squad number, and would likely be unhappy to lose it to another big-name player – even if it is Ronaldo.

The issue could resolve itself if Cavani were to end up leaving United, with the striker’s future at the club unclear given it seems likely he wants to play for Uruguay during their upcoming international breaks.

Cristiano Ronaldo in profile
That would mean Cavani would be unavailable for United for significant stretches of the season due to UK quarantine rules, and it remains to be seen whether United’s late push for Ronaldo was a consequence of Cavani’s evolving situation.

However, as things stand, the No7 is taken – as are the No9 (Anthony Martial) and No28 (Facundo Pellistri), the other two numbers he has worn in his career.

If Ronaldo is forced to do without the No7 jersey, he could currently take the following numbers: 12, 15, 24, 30, 31, 33, 35.