Cristiano Ronaldo sends €120m Premier League star to Man Utd
Mauricio Pochettino has received an immediate boost upon becoming Manchester United manager, with Cristiano Ronaldo's influence potentially helping the Argentine sign one of the Premier League's most exciting young talents.
Pochettino has inherited a difficult situation at Old Trafford, with numerous gaps in his squad to fill.
The Argentine needs defensive and attacking reinforcements, and while he is poised to receive ‘considerable’ backing in the January transfer window, the process of modelling Man Utd into a state he is happy with is set to be a prolonged one.
Rayan: I support Man Utd because of Cristiano Ronaldo
One player that Pochettino will have on his radar is Bournemouth attacker Rayan, who has gone public with his life-long love of United.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, he was asked what it was like leading the Cherries to a shock victory in Manchester:
“I said, ‘Wow, we’ve beaten Manchester United, the team I’ve always supported.’
“But it was in Manchester, too. At Old Trafford, which was a dream of mine to play at. It was a dream come true.
“I was even talking to the people at home, my wife and the people who are with me, and I told them I’ve always supported Manchester United here in England.”
Rayan was pressed on why he loves the Red Devils.
“Because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” he admitted. “I remembered him when I first walked into Old Trafford. I wanted to go in just to see what it was like, to see what the stadium was like, to step onto the pitch.”
Bournemouth set astronomical Rayan asking price
While a January move for Rayan appears to be impossible – FootballTransfers exclusively reported in October that Bournemouth have no intention of selling any of their stars in the middle of the season – the 20-year-old is a player that Man Utd will be keeping tabs on ahead of next summer.
The Cherries, though, are prepared to play hardball in transfer negotiations. They are expected to demand around €120 million (£100m) apiece for Rayan, Alex Scott and Junior Kroupi.
And they hold the balance of power in any future talks. Rayan, for example, is under contract until 2031, meaning the south coast club are under no obligation or pressure to sell.
The Brazilian’s development in Bournemouth, meanwhile, has been remarkable. Signed for €28.5m from Vasco da Gama in January 2025, his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has leapt to €74.9m in the latest update, further highlighting how difficult it will be for teams to sign him.
United, though, have one potential advantage in any future negotiations: Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon's influence on Rayan's support for the club could give Pochettino an unexpected helping hand if the Red Devils decide to open talks.
Read also:
