Msn.com
Cristiano Ronaldo has already smashed shirt sale records following his return to Manchester United.
In one of the biggest transfers the Premier League has ever seen, the 36-year-old has returned to the place where he made his name.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw the opportunity to bring back the five-time Ballon d’Or winner after he told Juventus he wanted to leave.
United believe they have got the striker for a bargain, too, costing just an initial £13m which could rise to £19m through add-ons.
But fans can barely contain their excitement after the return of the Old Trafford hero, who won his first Ballon d’Or and Champions League at the club.
So much so, that Ronaldo has already broken the record for most shirt sales just days after it was announced he would don his preferred No. 7 kit.
Fans queued up all day outside Old Trafford to get their hands on the iconic shirt as soon as it was officially stated that Edinson Cavani had given up his number.
And in a matter of just four hours, United had the highest day of online sales ever on a single sports merchandise site outside of North America.
Even more impressive was the first hour alone of sales best ever full day of global sales for United Direct, the official club merchandise site.
The online shop is run by Fanatics, who announced that Ronaldo became the biggest selling player ever in the 24-hour period that followed his transfer to the Red Devils.
It saw him surpass his football rival Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Tom Brady joining Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ronaldo could make his second debut for United next week in the first round of Premier League fixtures after the international break.
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The Red Devils take on Newcastle at home in what is expected to be one of the biggest crowds the stadium has seen in years.
The Portugal international insisted he was over the moon to back at his old club, where he spent six years before joining Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £80m.
He told United’s official website: “I have a fantastic history with this amazing club. I was there at 18 years old and of course I’m so happy to be back home after 12 years. So I’m really glad and looking forward to starting my first game.
“I think it’s the best decision that I have made. It’s right on point in my opinion.
“I moved from Juve now to Manchester, it’s a new chapter, I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
