Here’s why Cristiano Ronaldo is the best Premier League transfer of all time

In 2003, an 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo came to Manchester United for £12 million. And the rest, as they say, is history. Sky Sports have named the signing of Ronaldo by the Red Devils as the best Premier League transfer of all time, ahead of the likes of Thierry Henry and Eric Cantona.

We have already covered the Top 10 Premier League transfers of all time, according to Sky Sports.

The youngster struggled a little in his early days at Old Trafford, but eventually went on to become the best player in the team once he really found his footing. A majority of the credit behind the winger’s success must go to Sir Alex Ferguson, his manager throughout his tenure at United. 

Sir Alex treated Ronaldo very differently than he did the rest of the squad and turned him into one of the best footballers in the history of the sport. Ronaldo went on to win the Premier League title thrice with Manchester United, one FA Cup, two League Cups, as well as English Super Cups and the Champions League in the 2007/08 season. 

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Cristiano Ronaldo reached his peak as a footballer at United as he won the Ballon d’Or award in 2008, securing a move to Real Madrid a year later. 

In 292 appearances for Manchester United, Ronaldo managed to find the back of the net 118 times, whilst providing 68 assists to his teammates. 

In hindsight, a £12 million move for a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo was an absolute steal at the time. Had the Portuguese been a part of the young generation in the modern era of the transfer window, a £100 million fee would have been the bare minimum to be charged. 

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With the quality of the player that United got, £12 million was absolutely nothing when you consider the heights that Ronaldo reached during his tenure at the Theater of Dreams.