Entertainment Sports Cristiano Ronaldo Will Return to Manchester United: 'I Gave My Heart and Soul for Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo was previously with Manchester United for six years from 2003 to 2009 By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 27, 2021 01:53PM EDT Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty In one of the biggest moves in international soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo is heading home to Old Trafford. On Friday, Manchester United announced that the team reached a deal with Juventus that will see the 36-year-old star's return to the English team. Ronaldo first joined the Italian team in 2018 in a trade with Real Madrid. "Today I depart from an amazing club, the biggest in Italy and surely one of the biggest in all of Europe. I gave my heart and soul for Juventus and I'll always love the city of Turin until my final days," Ronaldo shared on Instagram. "The 'tifosi bianconeri' always respected me and I tried to thank that respect by fighting for them in every game, every season, every competition. In the end, we can all look back and realize that we achieved great things, not all that we wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty beautiful story together," he continued, thanking the fan base. Along with several emojis, including the Italian flag, Ronaldo concluded his message, writing: "I will always be one of you. You are now part of my history, as I feel that I'm part of yours. Italy, Juve, Turin, tifosi bianconeri, you'll always be in my heart." "Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical," the organization said in a statement. "Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including five UEFA Champions League titles, four FIFA Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal," the statement concluded. On social media, Manchester United shared a short and simple message addressing Ronaldo: "Welcome home, @Cristiano." Cristiano Ronaldo Slams 'Frivolous' Speculation Over Transfer: Stop 'Playing Around with My Name' Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Ronaldo previously played with Manchester United for six years from 2003 to 2009. There, he won three league titles and one Champions League. The father of four then played for nine years for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018. At the time, Ronaldo joined for a then world-record fee, the outlet added. Also on Friday, Ronaldo's girlfriend, Georgina Rodríguez, celebrated the big news and thanked Juventus, telling the Italian fans "thanks for all family."