Cristiano Ronaldo Discusses Manchester United Return: 'I'm Not Here for a Vacation'

Cristiano Ronaldo is back at Manchester United once again, over a decade after starring for the club between 2003-09, but it's not about nostalgia for the star forward. 

It's about winning. 

"This is why I'm here," he said in an interview on the team's website. "I am not here for vacation. ... I wore the shirt before many years ago, but I am here to win again. I am capable, me and my teammates. I am ready to go, I am ready to go. It is a good chance for me, for the supporters, for the club, to get one step ahead. I am ready and I think I will be a huge thing in the next three or four years."

Ronaldo, 36, scored 118 goals in all competitions in his first go-around with United and won eight major trophies, most notably three Premier League titles and a Champions League title in 2008. 

After leaving the Red Devils, he went on to even greater success at Real Madrid, where he won an astonishing four Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles. At Juventus, he won two Serie A titles. 

So winning has followed Ronaldo wherever he's gone, and United is attempting to end a Premier League title drought dating back to the 2012-13 campaign. Since last winning a title, United's seen its cross-town rival Manchester City win the league four times. 

It will be calling on the five-time Ballon D'or winner for assistance. Well, more accurately in the case of Ronaldo, to score a lot of goals.  

United had a strong summer transfer window, adding talented young winger Jadon Sancho and star centre-back Raphael Varane, Ronaldo's former teammate at Real Madrid. They'll join players like Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in what looks to be United's strongest squad in years. 

But the title race is also wide open.

Defending champion City added star midfielder Jack Grealish for its title defense. European champions Chelsea addressed its biggest weakness last season by signing striker Romelu Lukaku. Liverpool didn't have the splashy summer of its counterparts, though adding centre-back Ibrahima Konate—and getting back star defender Virgil Van Dijk—will solidify its back-four, while Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane can cut through teams in attack. 

Even clubs like Tottenham, who retained Harry Kane, and Leicester City should provide a threat, though they are more likely to be fighting for a top-four finish and feel far off the pace of the title race given the talented rosters they're trying to catch. 

Signing Ronaldo was a splashy move, no doubt. But it remains to be seen if it was a title-winning addition.