Arsene Wenger has claimed that Manchester United’s decision to re-sign club legend Cristiano Ronaldo was “emotional” and “not 100 [per cent] rational.”
The Red Devils paid Juventus an initial transfer fee of £12.9m to land the 36-year-old Portuguese superstar in a surprising summer transfer saga.
Ronaldo arrived in Manchester on Thursday evening after Portugal allowed him to cut his international duty short due to his suspension for their next World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was welcomed at Manchester airport by former club teammate Darren Fletcher, who is currently the Red Devils’ technical director.
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Wenger watched Ronaldo blossom at Old Trafford after the Portugal captain’s initial move from Sporting CP in 2003.
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The legendary former Arsenal manager insisted that United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now faces a “big challenge” in finding balance with his team.
“This is a love story that you want to see,” Wenger told BILD LIVE.
“[He was re-signed] for more than just sporting reasons, it’s also emotional. I think the decision is not 100 [per cent] rational.
“Finding a balance in the team is a big challenge. But the players with a lot of experience still score a lot.”
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Wenger, who stepped down as Arsenal manager in 2018, enjoyed a heated rivalry with legendary former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
And the 71-year-old Frenchman has suggested that Ronaldo even wore Arsenal’s shirt at one point, only for Ferguson to ‘snatch him’ away from him.
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Wenger added: “He was at our training ground and even wore an Arsenal jersey! But we could only pay €4million (£3.4m) back then.
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“[Sir Alex] snatched him from me! And for €12m (£10.2m).”
Ronaldo’s eagerly awaited second United debut could happen on 11th September for the Red Devils’ Premier League clash with Newcastle at Old Trafford.
Featured Image Credit: PA/Manchester UnitedTopics: Arsene Wenger, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, Premier League, England, Football