Juventus bid a fond farewell to Ronaldo as he returns to United

Ben Spratt
Stats Perform
Departing Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo
Departing Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus have said goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has completed his return to Manchester United. 

As confirmation of the deal was awaited from the United end, Ronaldo's departure from Turin was addressed by the Bianconeri.

A statement on the club's website confirmed the Red Devils will pay an initial £12.9million for the 36-year-old across five years, although the fee could reach £19.7m.

Juve's official site also outlined Ronaldo's achievements in his three-year stay in Italy with a lengthy post.

It said: "On 10 July 2018, two icons of the European and football world came together – Cristiano Ronaldo became a Juventus player.

"Today, after three years together and 133 appearances, 101 goals scored and five trophies won, that chapter has come to an end.

"The paths of CR7 and Juventus have gone their separate ways.

"On that day in July, when Cristiano arrived in Turin, the electric feeling of those great days could be felt through the air. The Juventus fans welcomed CR7 like a king, eager to see him on the pitch and cheer with him. It was a great story.

"His firsts left us impressed: the first outing at Villar Perosa, where tradition and the desire to write a wonderful future came together, the first official match in Verona against Chievo, and of course, his first goal, the first iconic 'Siuuu' that echoed around the Allianz Stadium against Sassuolo.

"Then, there were the first trophies won together: the first Super Cup, obviously decided by him, the first Scudetto title, and this year, the first Italian Cup.

"But that's not all, he also finished for the first time in Italy as the league's top scorer. Then there were the broken records – lots of them.

"He was the first player in Juventus history to score at least 100 goals in all competitions in his first three seasons with Juventus, and since his arrival in Serie A, he has scored more goals than any other player: 81, at least 10 more than any other.

"Not only that, with the aforementioned title of top scorer, he also become the first to sit on the throne of the top goalscorers in Serie A, LaLiga and the Premier League.

"The unforgettable moments experienced together were many. We could recite them and relive them, but it would not help, because everyone has their own special memory linked to CR7. Everyone has a shared emotion that does not need to be dusted off, because everyone will always remember what they felt in walking this stretch of road together.

"Today, that bond, born on July 10, three years ago, has been dissolved, but what has been written will forever remain. It has been an incredible journey."

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Premier LeagueJuventusManchester UnitedSerie A