How United will pay Cristiano Ronaldo £50m salary: They got a new sponsor to make the deal

Manchester United has completed a surprise move for former player, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 36-year-old returns to familiar surroundings after spending 12 years away from Old Trafford. With less than 12 months left on his contract, Ronaldo chose to call time on his stay in Italy. 

The Portugal international signed a 2-year deal with the Red Devils on a weekly wage of £480,000. Thus, United will be shelling out almost £50m over the course of Ronaldo's stay at the club. Having already signed Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane this season for a combined fee of almost £100m and extending contracts of numerous first-team players like Edison Cavani, the Red Devils weren't in the right conditions to further invest in their squad anymore this summer.

Thus, the club had to seek the help of one of their sponsors, Chevrolet, for the wages of Cristiano Ronaldo. Chevrolet has been partners and sponsors of the Red Devils for over 5 years and has once been their kit sponsors too. The automobile company will thus be picking up the wage demands of the Portuguese superstar for the 2 years he'll spend at the club. 

This is similar to the arrangement at Juventus where 'Jeep' picked up the frontman's €31m-a-year salary. It is unclear what compensation the company would enjoy for doing this. But they will certainly enjoy increased followership of the club and perhaps be beneficiaries of an uptick in club valuation. Chevrolet is the official automobile partner of Manchester United.