RONALDO READY FOR REAL CHALLENGE

RONALDO READY FOR REAL CHALLENGE

Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to start life as a Real Madrid player next week after the Spanish giants finalised his world-record transfer from Manchester United.

Just over two weeks after United confirmed they had accepted an ฃ80million bid from Madrid for the Portugal winger, both clubs announced on Friday night they had put the finishing touches on his switch to the Bernabeu.

Although there was no reference to an agreement over personal terms with Ronaldo, Madrid, who have been in talks with the player's representatives for the last fortnight, said that the 24-year-old's contract will run until 2015 and that he will be presented at the start of next month.

Reports in the Spanish media claim the former Sporting Lisbon player will be paid around 13million euros a year.

A statement on Madrid's website read: "Real Madrid and Manchester United have signed a final agreement for the transfer of the rights of Cristiano Ronaldo from July 1.

"The player will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons and will be presented on July 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu."

United said on their website: "Cristiano Ronaldo's departure is all but done and dusted after Real Madrid and Manchester United finalised the agreement for his transfer on Friday evening.

"The Portuguese winger was the subject of a world-record ฃ80million offer from the Spanish club on Thursday 11 June. He has since been on holiday but a return to work with new employers now beckons, with the sale set to be completed on Wednesday 1 July."

The deal for Ronaldo means Madrid will break the world record transfer fee for the fourth time - all sanctioned by president Florentino Perez.

During Perez's first tenure in the position, from 2000-2006, Madrid signed Luis Figo from Barcelona for ฃ37million in 2000 and then a year later brought in Zinedine Zidane from Juventus for ฃ46million.

Then just a week after returning to the presidency at the start of this month, Perez captured the signing of Brazilian ace Kaka from AC Milan for a fee reportedly in the region of ฃ59million.

Perez and Madrid have now smashed all of those price tags though by bringing FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldo to Spain.

RONALDO SEALS MADRID MOVE

RONALDO SEALS MADRID MOVE

Real Madrid and Manchester United have finalised an agreement for the ฃ80million transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish club.

United confirmed earlier this month they had accepted a world-record ฃ80million bid from the Primera Division side.

A statement on Madrid's website on Friday evening read: "Real Madrid and Manchester United have signed a final agreement for the transfer of the rights of Cristiano Ronaldo from July 1.

"The player will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons and will be presented on July 6 at the Santiago Bernabeu."



The Portugal superstar came close to joining Madrid last summer before Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to stay at Old Trafford.

But Ramon Calderon, who was president of Madrid at the time, claimed this month a "gentleman's agreement" existed over the signing before he left the Spanish giants in January.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo becomes the latest signing in Florentino Perez's Madrid revolution.

Perez, who was responsible for bringing the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Luis Figo to the Bernabeu in his first stint as president, has already taken Brazil star Kaka from AC Milan and Spain international Raul Albiol from Valencia.


Ronaldo joined Manchester United back in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon for ฃ12.24million and was given the number seven shirt vacated by Beckham.

He won the FA Cup in his first season and, though he impressed with his skills, was often criticised for a lack of end product.

In the 2006-07 season he won his first Premier League title, and also claimed the PFA Young Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards.

But it was the 2007-08 season which defined him as one of the greatest players in the world game.

He scored 42 goals in all competitions, including the opener in the Champions League final win over Chelsea, as United claimed a domestic and European double.

That year brought with it the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

The season ended with intense speculation about a move to Madrid, a move which ultimately did not materialise.

Whilst Ronaldo this year did not quite hit the heights of his last campaign, he again impressed as United won the Premier League and Club World Cup.



CRISTIANO RONALDO FACTFILE

1985: Born February 5 in Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

2002: Makes his debut for Sporting Lisbon in the Portuguese Super Liga at the age of 17 after winning international caps for Portugal's youth sides.

2003: August 6 - Scores in pre-season friendly against Manchester United.

August 8 - Completes a ฃ12.24million transfer to United, taking the number seven shirt following the sale of then England captain David Beckham to Real Madrid.

August 16 - Makes his debut as a second-half substitute in opening-day 4-0 win over Bolton at Old Trafford.

August 20 - Plays for Portugal's full national side in 1-0 win over Kazakhstan.

November 1 - Scores his first goal for United in the 3-0 victory over Portsmouth at Old Trafford.

2004: May 22 - Dazzles in United's 3-0 FA Cup final victory over Millwall.

June 24 - Scores in the shoot-out as Portugal knock England out of the European Championships 6-5 on penalties.

July 4 - Plays in Euro 2004 final, which Portugal lose 1-0 to Greece.

2005 October 19 - Arrested and questioned by police after an allegation of rape at a London hotel is made against him. Ronaldo asserts his innocence. No charges are brought.

November 18 - Agrees two-year extension to his United contract, keeping him at the club until 2010.

2006: July 1 Protests to referee Horacio Elizondo after United team-mate Wayne Rooney clashes with Ricardo Carvalho in the World Cup quarter-final between Portugal and England. Rooney is sent off and television pictures catch Ronaldo winking towards the bench. Scores the winning penalty in the shoot-out to knock out England.

July 8 - After losing the third-place play-off to Germany, Ronaldo reveals he wants to leave United. Admits he would like a move to Spain, having been linked with Real Madrid.

July 7 - United stress there is "no possibility" Ronaldo will be sold.

2007: February 6 - Named captain of the Portugal team for a friendly against Brazil a day after his 22nd birthday.

April 13 - Agrees new five-year deal with Red Devils.

April 22 - Voted both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year - the first player to land the double award since Andy Gray in 1977.

May - Voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association as United win the Premier League title.

December 17 - Finishes third in FIFA World Player of the Year voting, behind winner Kaka and Lionel Messi.

2008: March 19 - Scores twice in a 2-0 win over Bolton - taking his tally for 2007-08 to 33 - to beat George Best's 40-year-old club record for goals scored

April 27 - Voted PFA Player of the Year for the second year running.

May 5 - United claim Premier League title with win at Wigan.

May 14 - Real Madrid claim they have the funds to purchase Ronaldo.

May 21 - Heads United in front in Champions League final against Chelsea in

Moscow. The game goes to penalties and, despite Ronaldo missing his kick, United win the shoot-out. Ends the season with 42 goals.

May 22 - Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster says he believes Ronaldo will play for the Spanish club at some point in his career.

June 2 - Ronaldo is reported to have told Brazilian website Terra that he wants to join Madrid, if they can meet United's asking price.

June 6 - United report Madrid to FIFA over their pursuit of Ronaldo.

June 19 - Unable to prevent Portugal being dumped out of Euro 2008 as Luiz Felipe Scolari's team lose 3-2 to Germany in the quarter-finals.

July 7 - Ronaldo undergoes surgery on his injured ankle in Amsterdam.

August 8 - Tells Portuguese newspaper Publico he will remain with Manchester United "for at least another year".

August 17 - Makes his return from injury as a 62nd-minute substitute in a home goalless draw with Villarreal in the Champions League.

November 15 - Scores 100th goal for Manchester United with the first of a brace against Stoke.

November 30 - Sent off for two yellow cards in the Manchester derby, the second caution coming after a bizarre handball incident.

December 2 - Wins the prestigious Ballon d'Or, convincingly seeing off competition from second-placed Messi and Liverpool's Fernando Torres, in third.

2009: January 8 - Escapes uninjured after writing off his Ferrari sports car by crashing into a roadside barrier under a tunnel near Manchester Airport on his way to training.

January 12 - Named FIFA World Player of the Year at gala ceremony in Zurich.

May 16 - Helps United win Premier League title with 0-0 draw against Arsenal.

May 27 - Unable to prevent United losing 2-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League final in Rome.

June 11 - United accept a world-record ฃ80million bid from Real Madrid.

June 26 - United and Real confirm they have finalised an agreement for the transfer of Ronaldo. The player has agreed a six-year contract with Madrid.

Ronaldo agrees six-year Real deal

Ronaldo agrees six-year Real deal


Cristiano Ronaldo will complete his world record £80m move from Manchester United to Real Madrid on 1 July after agreeing a six-year deal.

United, who accepted Real's offer for the 24-year-old winger on 11 June, confirmed on their website that the transfer had been finalised.

A statement on Real's website read: "The player will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons.

"He will be presented on 6 July at the Santiago Bernabeu."

Ronaldo was on holiday in the United States at the time the offer was made by Real, on 10 June.

During that time, United stated that the decision came at the Portugal international's request after he "again expressed his desire to leave".

606: DEBATE
What do you think about the length of the Ronaldo's deal with Real?


The Old Trafford club said the offer was unconditional and wanted the matter to be concluded by 30 June.

The addition of Ronaldo to the Real ranks is part of a remarkable spending spree by the Spanish giants since Florentino Perez returned as club president on 1 June.

He brought in Brazil playmaker Kaka for a then-world record £56m, then Ronaldo for £80m before signing centre-back Raul Albiol from Valencia for £12m, to bring Real's total summer spend, so far, to £148m.

Perez appointed Villarreal boss Manuel Pellegrini as Real's new coach, and had previously made it clear he would do "everything possible" to sign Ronaldo.

Reports have suggested that the midfielder will earn about £11m per year, which will make him the highest paid footballer in the world. He was on about £6.38m at Old Trafford.

The current top earner is understood to be Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is on about £10m per year.

Despite the vast outgoings, Madrid have also been linked with Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, Valencia's David Villa and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery.


Ronaldo joined United in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon for £12.2m, but was strongly linked with a move to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2008.

United lodged a complaint with world governing body Fifa last June over what they believed was a deliberate attempt by Real to unsettle the winger.

After a long, drawn-out saga that ran through the summer months, the Portugal international insisted he was happy at Old Trafford and remained at United for the 2008-2009 season.

And despite Ronaldo's claim that he wanted to remain at Old Trafford, he was the subject of constant speculation during the 2008-2009 season and often issued mixed messages about his future.

It took time for Ronaldo to find his best form after arriving in England but he became a pivotal player for United, who have won the last three Premier League titles.

In 2007-08, he scored 42 goals, which topped the previous club record for a midfielder held by George Best, and was on the score sheet as United defeated Chelsea in the Champions League final.

His form through 2008 saw him named Fifa World Player of the Year in January, just a month after he won the Ballon d'Or as the European Player of the Year.

Ronaldo was the top scorer for his club last season, with 26 goals, taking his total for United to 118 in 292 appearances.

Ronaldo confident his aim still true after miss

Ronaldo confident his aim still true after miss

If Cristiano Ronaldo's missed penalty cost him any sleep on Wednesday night, then he did not betray any signs of it. "I'm always confident," he said. "I've 38 goals this season so it's not a problem if you miss one or two. I've scored 16 or 17 penalties since joining United and I've missed two. If I get another penalty in Manchester I'll score. I have confidence in my own ability."


No one doubts the last bit, and it is typical of the player's self-belief that he has scored fewer and – strictly speaking – missed more than he thinks he has. His total from the spot is 12 since Louis Saha's missed effort at Celtic Park in the Champions League last season saw him take the job, and to the miss at Upton Park in December – a game United lost – can be added the one Chris Kirkland saved at Wigan the previous season, Ronaldo netting from the rebound.

Though Sir Alex Ferguson would probably have taken a 0-0 when forced to deploy Wes Brown in central defence, the miss creates headaches for him against the landscape of tomorrow's visit to Stamford Bridge. An away goal might have left him confident enough to play an optimum side against Chelsea but, with so much resting on next Tuesday's return, Tomasz Kuszczak might well come in for Edwin van der Sar in goal. Whether to rest Paul Scholes, hugely influential of late, is a more difficult decision but there might well be roles for Gerard Pique, John O'Shea and Nani. Rio Ferdinand could also use a break.

Ronaldo might also care to ignore stories about United's previous 0-0 draws in Europe – including the draw in the Bernabeu which saw Real Madrid defeat them at Old Trafford in 2000 and prompted Ferguson to profess his legendary dislike of the scoreline.

Wayne Rooney was a touch prickly when questioned about the penalty miss but Ferdinand said Ronaldo's work ethic made his miss forgivable. "Nothing was said" in the dressing room, the defender revealed.

Ferdinand sees the miss as one more chapter in the ongoing Ronaldo story. "He's had ups and downs in his life, in his career, so I'm sure this is just another page in his story." The significance of the latest plot twist depends on Barcelona's ability, in Manchester four days from now, to punish Ronaldo and United for the error.

The defender Nemanja Vidic has recovered from the stomach infection which caused him to miss Wednesday's match in Barcelona and will be fit to play at Chelsea tomorrow.

ZIDANE CONFIRMS RIBERY TALKS

ZIDANE CONFIRMS RIBERY TALKS

Zinedine Zidane is in talks with Franck Ribery and has told his compatriot a move to Real Madrid would be too good to turn down.

Zidane, who revealed on Saturday that the Spanish giants were tracking the French midfielder, has now announced he is trying to convince Bayern Munich's prized asset to make the switch to Santiago Bernabeu.

"I am in talks with Franck," the former three times World Player of the Year, who is an advisor to Real president Florentino Perez, told Sunday's edition of French newspaper Le Dauphine Libere.

"He is a fantastic player who has his place at Real. And playing in this team is a career opportunity, which, to me, you do not refuse.

"It would be a nice opportunity for Franck. It is up to him."

Real are on the verge of signing Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United accepted a world record bid of ฃ80million for the Portuguese forward earlier this week, while Brazil playmaker Kaka has already joined from AC Milan for a reported fee of ฃ56million.

Ribery, who is also believed to be a United target, is likely to cost a similarly huge figure if reported bids for the 26-year-old are anything to go by.

And Zidane, who wore the Real shirt from 2001 to 2006, explained that teams must break the bank if they want to land football's top stars.

"Bringing together the best players in the world has a cost," he added.

Ferguson expected Ronaldo to go

Ferguson expected Ronaldo to go

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he was resigned to seeing Cristiano Ronaldo leave Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old Portuguese winger is poised to complete a record £80m move to Real Madrid, with reports suggesting the deal has long been in place.

And Ferguson, who is on holiday in the south of France, told the Mail on Sunday: "He wanted to leave, it is as simple as that.

"He was going to go some time. We've done well to keep him for so long."

Ferguson has persuaded Ronaldo to stay twice before, when Real pursued him in the summers of 2007 and 2008, but appears to have decided he could no longer stand in the way of the player's dream move to the Bernabeu.

According to a statement released by United on Thursday, the Spanish side's bid was accepted after Ronaldo "again expressed his desire to leave".

FOOTBALL BLOG


" United's manager could not afford to spend huge swathes of every close season persuading a player - no matter how vital - to stay at Old Trafford "


BBC Sport's Phil McNulty


Ronaldo's attitude has angered some United fans but Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz, who worked with the player during his spell as Ferguson's assistant from 2004 to 2008, says they should not question the player's loyalty.

Queiroz, who also had a stint as coach of Real in 2003/04, told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: "When you talk about loyalty, you must understand that it works in two directions.

"And, more than 95% of the time, moves are dictated by the managers at the clubs. They say 'I want to hire this player' or 'I want to release this player'.

"Once in a while some players have the capacity and the power to create their own motivations.

"I belong to the romantic times of football but, like it or not, this is the situation at the moment.

"In the modern game, loyalty is to be a great professional, to be committed to your club and its goals and ambitions. In that respect, nobody can point one finger against Cristiano because, as a professional, he is brilliant."

Ronaldo will undergo a medical with Madrid in the next few days and expects the move to go through, despite suffering from a minor hernia injury.

United want the matter to be concluded by 30 June.

RONALDO: I LOVE TO BE HATED

RONALDO: I LOVE TO BE HATED

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready for his proposed ฃ80million move to Real Madrid to make him an object of hate - and feels he will thrive under the insults.

The Portugal winger is set to seal his switch to the Spanish giants by the end of June after Manchester United accepted a world record bid.

And the 24-year-old wants to "re-write the history of football" when he lines up alongside the likes of fellow Madrid new boy and prospective team-mate Kaka.

He said in an interview with French magazine So Foot as reported in the News of the World: "I love it when people jeer me. I love to see the hate in their eyes, to hear the insults. It doesn't bother me.

"It's true lots of people hate me but there are even more who love me and who support me. I feel bad only when I play badly. Fortunately, that happens rarely."

He added: "I still have a long way to go. I really want to re-write the history of football.

"I am aware I'm already among the best of the best but I want to continue to write many more beautiful pages."

Ronaldo was eclipsed by Barcelona's Lionel Messi in last month's Champions League final in Rome, the Argentinian scoring the Catalans' second with a fine header of which Ronaldo himself would have been proud.

The pair's rivalry will intensify in the Primera Division next season should Ronaldo's move go through, with Madrid and Barca bitter rivals, but the Portuguese is not interested in comparing himself to Messi.

He said: "I have nothing to envy Lionel for. I don't compare myself to others. I am Cristiano Ronaldo - and I can win more medals than anybody else. I don't like to relax. The fans want to see a great Cristiano Ronaldo so I try to never disappoint."

United's acceptance of Madrid's offer earlier this week brought an end to one of the longest-running transfer sagas of recent years.

And Sir Alex Ferguson believes the Barclays Premier League champions did well to keep Ronaldo at Old Trafford for as long as they did.

"He wanted to leave, it's as simple as that," Ferguson told The Mail on Sunday.

"He was going to go some time. We've done well to keep him for so long."

Ronaldo's desire to leave has provoked anger among sections of United fans, who feel the club helped him become the player he is after signing him from Sporting Lisbon six years ago.

But former United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, a former Madrid boss who also knows Ronaldo from his current post as Portugal coach, believes his loyalty cannot be questioned.

"When you talk about loyalty, you must understand the loyalty has two directions," Queiroz, who enjoyed two spells as Sir Alex Ferguson's number two, told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"In terms of the modern game, loyalty is to be a great professional, to be committed to the club, to be engaged with the coach and the vision of the club and nobody can put one thing against Cristiano because as a professional he's brilliant.

"But as you know with 95% or 96% of movement in football it is the managers at the clubs that dictate the movements."

A former Madrid great has warned the winger, though, that he will have to come to terms with being just another player at the Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane moved from Juventus to Madrid for a then world record fee in 2001.

He said in the Daily Mirror: "Despite the vast amount of money available in his transfer to Real Madrid, Ronaldo will have to come to terms with being just another star at the club.

"With the arrival of Brazilian Kaka and more expected to follow under returning president Florentino Perez, he cannot expect to take centre stage at a club like Real Madrid.

"Besides, while the supporters love to embrace superstar players, collective success is far more important to them than that of any individual."