Sir Alex Ferguson used to bang the drum about no player ever being bigger than Manchester United.
But in the case of Cristiano Ronaldo, even Fergie might have to make an exception. Ronaldo's long farewell to the United fans this week following his side's final home game of the season against Brentford felt like the end of his second coming in Manchester. When Ronaldo agreed to re-join United last summer, Fergie had a hand in the deal.
He rang the Portuguese icon and told him his place was back at Old Trafford. The conversation left Ronaldo in no doubt as to what he had to do next, and it lasted less than 30 seconds. But the lure of going back to Old Trafford must now feel like some sort of trap to Ronaldo. While he has excelled and continued to score goals, like he's done wherever he's been, he's also found himself engulfed by mediocrity, disenchantment, upheaval and failure.
