Football: Cristiano Ronaldo to become Premier League's highest-ever earner

Manchester United are hoping Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford proves to be money well-spent. Photo / Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United will make him the highest paid player in Premier League history, the UK's Telegraph Sport understands.

United sensationally hijacked Manchester City's attempts to sign Ronaldo from Juventus on Saturday in a deal worth up to £19.7 million (NZ$38.66m).

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 Premier League 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 (NZ$1.1m) 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 team-mate, 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 £9m 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. He will complete a medical in Lisbon before joining up with the Portugal squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Azerbaijan, either side of a friendly against Qatar, next month. Ronaldo is expected to make his 'second debut' for United against Newcastle on Sept. 11.

The Glazers had been presented with the opportunity to sign Ronaldo earlier in the summer but had resisted given that they were already committing almost £120m to sign Jadon Sancho and Varane from Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively.

But the owners decided to make an exception for Ronaldo once City entered the running for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner after resolving they could not allow a game-changing signing and one of their most revered former players to join the champions and team they are trying to usurp at the top of the Premier League.