And 'Mbappe Day' was 'Cristiano Day'

27th August 2021. It's dawn in Europe with all eyes on Paris and Madrid. The main newspapers are talking about the imminent agreement between PSG and Real Madrid for the long-awaited transfer of Kylian Mbappe. 

The morning starts to get hectic and the first news appears on the scene. The Parisians have not yet replied to 'Los Blancos' offer, which amounts to 170 million euros plus ten million euros in variables. 

180 million for a Mbappe who appears at the Parisian Sports City, the same place where, shortly after, Leonardo, president of PSG, gets out of a vehicle to reveal that the situation has not changed in the last two days. 

27th August 2021. Dawn breaks in Europe with all eyes on Turin and Manchester. The main newspapers are saying that Cristiano Ronaldo has already told Juventus that he is leaving; City are waiting for him. 

Everywhere there is talk of CR7's arrival at Pep Guardiola's City and Massimiliano Allegri, Juve's coach, has set the market on fire with his statements at a press conference: "Cristiano Ronaldo told me he wants to leave Juventus now. It's true, I confirm it. That's why he hasn't trained and won't be available for the match against Empoli". Allegri's bombshell is spreading like wildfire on the internet. 

Then, at midday, an unexpected Manchester United player enters the scene and in a matter of hours ousts City from the fight for Cristiano's signature. 5.53pm, it becomes official. "Yes, it's crazy and it's happening. Welcome home, King," United posted on their social networks to announce to the world that they had just signed the Portuguese striker, that CR7 was returning to Old Trafford, that in a matter of a few hours they had sealed the arrival of one of the best players on the planet. 

15 million fixed plus eight million in variables to take Cristiano out of Turin and bring him to Manchester, the initial destination of the Portuguese international, paradoxes of fate. And so it was that 'Mbappe Day' became 'Cristiano Day'.