What will Cristiano Ronaldo mean for Manchester United’s business goals?

United hope Ronaldo’s skill will enhance the club’s chances on the pitch. But the bigger picture is the commercial edge he can bring.

The prodigal son returns. In the last few days of a frenzied football transfer window, Manchester United pulled off a dream signing, welcoming Cristiano Ronaldo back to his former club.

Excitement over his return to the Premier League is high – and with good reason. There are only a handful of sports stars on the planet who can generate this kind of global interest.

But how does a player of Ronaldo’s professional stature affect the business side of a major football club? Where are the key financial wins generated by sporting superstars?

In football transfer fee terms, Ronaldo returns to United with a relatively cheap price tag. He has signed a two-year contract (with the option to extend) for an initial fee of £12.86 million and the potential for an additional £6.85 million in performance related bonuses.

This is primarily down to his age. At 36, he is approaching the end of his playing career, and the fee reflects this, even though his performance level remains high. That performance factor is reflected in his salary, which is set to be around £385,000 per week

Adding these numbers together crudely shows a total cost to Manchester United in the region of £60 million. The club have also shown shrewd business tactics by managing to spread the payment over five years.

In return, United hope Ronaldo’s skill will enhance the club’s chances on the pitch. But the bigger picture is the commercial edge he can bring.

Certainly the power of his personal brand (he is widely known as “CR7” after his initials and preferred player number) – not withstanding the ongoing civil lawsuit against him for allegations of rape, which he denies (criminal charges were ruled out) – instantly extends the club’s international reach and appeal.

Ronaldo currently boasts half a billion followers across social media, compared to Manchester United’s 140 million, and the announcement of his signing sparked 12.5 million likes on Instagram. Converting this reach into cash is critical.