October 6 (Goal) – Manchester United have completed the signing of former Paris-Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani.
The 33-year-old has signed an initial one-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.
He is set to earn €11 million (£10m/$13m) per season at Old Trafford, with a potential further €2m in performance-related add-ons, and a €4m signing-on bonus.
“Manchester United is one of the greatest clubs in the world, so it is a real honour to be here,” Cavani said of his signing. “I’ve worked really hard during the time off and I feel eager to compete and represent this incredible club.
“I have played in front of some of the most passionate supporters in football during my career and I know that it will be the same in Manchester. I cannot wait to experience the Old Trafford atmosphere when it is safe for the fans to return.
“I look forward to continuing to write my little story inside the book of football and I know that’s why my focus has to remain the same as always – work, work, work. I have had a conversation with the manager and this has increased my desire to wear this beautiful shirt.”
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added: “Edinson is an experienced ultimate professional who always gives everything for his team. His goalscoring record for club and country is fantastic and we are delighted to sign a player of his calibre.
“He’ll bring energy, power, leadership and a great mentality to the squad but, most importantly, he’ll bring goals. He has had a brilliant career so far, winning trophies at almost every club he has played for, and he still has so much more to give at the highest level.
“The opportunity for our young players to learn from one of Europe’s top goalscorers over the last 10 years is fantastic and it will really benefit them going forward.
“Edinson knows exactly what it takes to succeed and we are all looking forward to seeing him make an impact at Manchester United.”
Cavani had been without a club since leaving PSG after the Ligue 1 season was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was one of the players who did not sign a short-term contract extension in order to play a role in their Champions League campaign in Portugal, so he has not played since early March.
Over seven seasons in Paris, Cavani became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, finishing with a remarkable 200 goals in 301 appearances in all competitions.
His influence waned in his final season as he neared the end of his deal and Mauro Icardi was signed as a replacement alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Cavani made his name in Serie A at Napoli, scoring 104 goals in 138 games after previous spells at Palermo and Uruguayan side Danubio.
It is hoped the seasoned Uruguay international will prove an upgrade on Odion Ighalo, who is set to return to Shanghai Shenhua in the new year. After his initial burst of good form at Old Trafford, Ighalo has struggled to make an impact since English football returned from lockdown.
Cavani arrives as only United’s second major signing of the window, following the capture of Donny van de Beek from Ajax.
He will also arrive as United’s oldest signing under Solskjaer. Solskjaer has generally preferred a policy of signing younger players with room to develop after a number of high-profile flops in recent seasons, but it is hoped the experienced Cavani can make an instant impact and assist the development of United’s younger players.
