UNITED sensationally hijacked Manchester City’s attempts to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus on Friday in a deal worth up to £19.7 million (US$27.1 million).

Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand played a pivotal role in bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, 12 years after his departure for Real Madrid in a then world record £80m deal.

The Glazers, United’s owners, hope Ronaldo will have a similar impact at Old Trafford to Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the legendary quarterback helped their NFL franchise to win a first Super Bowl in 18 years in February 11 months after his signing.

And the Glazers have agreed to make Ronaldo the biggest earning player in the history of the English Premier League (EPL) in the hope he can help end United’s eight-year wait for the Premier League title.

It is understood that Ronaldo’s two-year contract, which includes the option of another 12 months, will see him stand to earn in excess of the £560,000 a week that former United forward Alexis Sanchez’s deal was worth at Old Trafford including bonuses and image rights.

However, the contract is said to be substantially less than Lionel Messi’s £1m a week deal with Paris Saint-Germain, whom he joined on a free transfer from Barcelona earlier this month. Raphael Varane’s £400,000 a week deal with United had briefly made him the highest earning player in the Premier League this summer but that will now be eclipsed by his new teammate, with whom he also played at Real.

Sanchez’s move to Old Trafford from Arsenal in 2018 proved a huge flop and he left United last year to join Inter Milan on a free transfer after the Manchester club agreed a settlement to get him off their books.

United will pay Juventus an initial £12.85m with a further £6.85m in add ons for Ronaldo depending on the club and player’s success. Ronaldo is expected to make his “second debut” for United against Newcastle on Sept. 11.(SD-Agencies)