Cristiano Ronaldo named best Premier League transfer of all-time

Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo (R) celebrates with Welsh midfielder Ryan Giggs after scoring against Inter Milan during their UEFA Champions League second round second leg football match at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England on March 11, 2009. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP via Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s £12m transfer to Manchester United in 2003 has been voted the greatest Premier League transfer of all-time by Sky Sports.

The Portuguese superstar was only 18 when he left Sporting for Old Trafford to develop under the incredible guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Of course, he initially struggled to adapt to the Premier League but United had put a lot of faith in him as a youngster, and nobody at the club was surprised to see him go on to become one of the greatest players the beautiful game has had.

During his time at United, Ronaldo won three Premier League titles and the Champions League.

He would go on to become an even better player at Real Madrid, but his arrival at United, according to Sky Sports, is the Premier League’s greatest ever transfer.

Ronaldo pips Thierry Henry’s switch to Arsenal from Juventus as well as Eric Cantona from Leeds to Manchester United.

Sky Sports’ top 10 list:

10. Alan Shearer (Blackburn to Newcastle United)
9. Vincent Kompany (Hamburg to Man City)
8. Wayne Rooney (Everton to Manchester United)
7. Sol Campbell (Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal)
6. Didier Drogba (Marseille to Chelsea)
5. Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest to Manchester United)
4. Frank Lampard (West Ham to Chelsea)
3. Eric Cantona (Leeds to Manchester United)
2. Thierry Henry (Juventus to Arsenal)
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United)

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