vivaronaldo.com

Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes will earn an incredible £10million if he can push through the proposed £70million deal that would take Ronaldo to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The transaction would smash the previous world-record transfer fee set in 2001, when Real paid Juventus £46million for Zinedine Zidane.

Success in such an endeavour would cap what looks like becoming a very profitable summer for Mendes, as he has already negotiated Luiz Felipe Scolari’s appointment as manager of Chelsea and is in the process of wangling Deco’s exit from Barcelona.

But he will have to work hard to earn his cut from the Ronaldo deal, as United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to let his star winger leave.

The Scotsman is currently in the South of France and will not break off his holiday, and as Red Devils chief executive David Gill is also absent, there will be no-one at Old Trafford with the authority to handle the situation over the next week.

Ronaldo has confirmed his desire to complete the move to Spain, as have several of his team-mates from the Portugal national team, who were recently eliminated from EURO 2008 by Germany.

United winger Nani said: “The loss of Cristiano Ronaldo will be bad news for United. In the Portugal camp, Cristiano advised us that his decision was clear and that now he will try new challenges.”

Los Merengues are also willing to negotiate a part player-exchange option involving £40million and Brazilian forward Robinho, who has given his permission to be used as bait.

Much of the English press are reporting that the Portuguese phenomenon will be earning the astronomical figure - comfortably over twice as much as the next highest earners in the sport - in a five-year contract worth a staggering £75 million.

Los Blancos are reported to have made it clear to the player’s representatives that the offer will not be on the table in a year’s time - which is when it is now rumoured Ronaldo will eventually make his ‘dream’ move.

It was stated late last week that Ronaldo would make a final decision on his future in the coming days and rumours emerged yesterday that the winger had told family and close friends of his plan to leave the club, though there were conflicting reports released hours earlier that the player would stay on for a further year at Old Trafford.

Whether Ronaldo will make his intentions public before Euro 2008 has run its course is yet another piece of this complex puzzle, while Manchester United bosses have said they would sooner let their star rot in the stands than sell him to los Merengues.

Various transfer fees have been banded about in relation to the 23-year-old, but it will without doubt take a world record-breaking amount - meaning over the £46 million paid by Madrid to Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

While these incredible sums of money may seem even beyond the world’s most successful club, the president and numerous directors have assured the world that, with the money generated after the player’s arrival, he would produce more than enough revenue to cover his own cost.

Real Madrid have on numerous occasions done their bit to try and placate Manchester United management - who have been furious with the continued approach for their player - by saying the signing would be ‘impossible’, but only to temper such a statement with a look to the future, and the Portuguese international’s ‘inevitable’ signing for the club.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United’s American owners would do anything in their power to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has spoken to the Glazer family about Real Madrid’s attempt to sign Ronaldo, a transfer saga that has turned increasingly spiteful in recent weeks.

The United boss is furious that Real have so publicly tried to unsettle the Portugal winger. United have even threatened to report Real to FIFA, a move which prompted the Spanish champions to back off, but Ferguson is relieved to hear the Glazers back his hardline stance.

“I’ve had a couple of meetings with the Glazers. Their attitude is, ‘To hell with them’. They’d sit a player in the stand, I’m telling you, absolutely no doubt about it, just to prove a point. Not to give in to these people,” Ferguson said.

“They’ve got balls, I can tell you. I’ve been delighted with them in that respect.

“They’ve been good to this club, believe me. They have been brilliant owners.”

Ronaldo, meanwhile, said that he intends to make a decision on his future in the coming days.

“There’ll be news shortly. I’ll make a decision on my future in two or three days,” the told journalists after Portugual’s 2-0 Euro 2008 warm-up win over Georgia on Saturday night.

The Portuguese star leaves with his national team for Switzerland on Sunday for the European championships which get underway on June 7.

Spanish sports paper Marca claims that Ronaldo could follow in the footsteps of Ruud van Nistelrooy by requesting a transfer.

Billing it as an ‘unwritten law of English football’, the paper claims that a formal transfer request is used to indicate displeasure and a desire to move on.

The transfer list, which apparently is not replicated in Spain, is produced by clubs, but players can request in writing their desire to join it. Marca, of course, claims that Ronaldo “might” submit a letter of his own.

This would be done if he had the desire for a change of scenery after the European Championships - with, say, Real Madrid interested in his signature.

Marca further claims that Ruud van Nistelrooy took this step due to his “differences” with Alex Ferguson.

Manchester United are so determined not to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid that they would let him rot on the sidelines rather than cave in to pressure should the player and the Spanish champions try to force through a move. The hardline stance was spelt out by Sir Alex Ferguson and comes directly from the Glazer family, who control United. For United’s American owners, standing up to Real has become a point of principle and they are understood to have echoed in private the vow that Ferguson has made publicly - not to allow the Spanish giants to “ride roughshod” over their club.

“The thing people miss the point about is that I’ve had a couple of meetings with the Glazers,” said Ferguson. “Their attitude is ‘to hell with them’ (Real). They would sit a player in the stand. There’s absolutely no doubt about it. They’d do it just to prove a point and not to give in to these people. They’ve got balls, I can tell you. I’ve been delighted with them in that respect.”

It is believed that Real are ready to test United’s resolve, however, by lodging a world record bid for Ronaldo of as much as £70m. Though Ramon Calderon, the president at the Bernabeu, made comments on Thursday that appeared to end his club’s interest in Ronaldo, it is suspected these were merely to head off United’s threat to report Real to Fifa over their previously public pursuit of the player.

Real will continue private efforts to land Ronaldo and hope that the player can be pressured to drive the transfer himself by asking for a move. The Spaniards believe that this, coupled with the extraordinary sum they are willing to pay, could tempt United to sell. However, the Glazers appear to be standing firm The six children of United’s owner, Malcolm Glazer - Joel, Avram, Bryan, Kevin, Edward and Darcy - were in Moscow for the Champions League final, staying at the United team hotel, and spoke informally to Ferguson about priorities for the summer transfer window. Retaining Ronaldo is top of the list and a letter has reportedly been sent to Real informing them United will not sell their superstar, even if he asks for a move.

Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson’s No 2, stoked up the ill-feeling between the clubs by accusing Real of a “lack of ethics”, and although Calderon has said Real were “not going to start a conflict” over Ronaldo, it has failed to defuse United’s anger. The European champions are upset by comments from Real they believe were aimed at unsettling their player, including the statement from coach Bernd Schuster that the Spaniards have suspended other transfer business in order to concentrate on signing Ronaldo - “a big priority”.

Speaking at Portugual’s Euro 2008 training camp, Ronaldo continued to give the impression his head had been turned by Real’s interest, saying he would “have news” about his future after the championship.

Ferguson, though, is confident his bosses will back his fight to keep his star and hada message for supporters who fought against the Americans’ takeover in 2005. “They (the Glazers) have been good to this club. They’ve been brilliant owners,” he said. “All the nonsense about them taking the club over and putting it in debt . . . every takeover is done by debt. If I wanted to buy Marks & Spencer do you think I could just go under the floorboards and pull out £3bn? No, I’d go to the Bank of Scotland.”

Real Madrid today, took huge measures to calm down the massive public row that has escalated between Real and Manchester United over their very public chasing of United hitman Cristiano Ronaldo.

Late Tuesday United issued a hard hitting statement threatening to report Real to FIFA over their interest in the Portugal winger.

“We have watched with growing irritation the comments attributed to Real Madrid over their alleged desire to sign Cristiano,” the United statement read.

“We will have no alternative but to report Real if it continues to behave in this totally unacceptable fashion.”

United were irritated by comments from Real coach Bernd Schuster claiming the 23-year-old was their number one summer transfer target, despite the fact that Ron has confessed to being ‘happy’ at Old Trafford, and that he is also only just 13 months into a 5 year deal at Old Trafford.

In a bid to take the heat out of the situation Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon declared that the Spanish chmpions did not want “to enter into conflict” with the European champions.

“We’re not going to do anything againt the wishes of a friend like Manchester,” said Calderon as reported in the Spanish media.

“We’re sorry that Manchester are unhappy, but Real have nothing to do with this affair.”

Repeated reports over the past few weeks suggest Real have every intention of going for their man with a lucrative bid of 80 million euros for the United winger.

Calderon added: “We know Manchester are not selling, so why would we persist? It’s a problem between the player and the club.”

According to the club’s boss Real have only let it be known that they are interested in Ronaldo “if he decides one day” to leave England.

Ronaldo is under contract with the English titleholders until 2012. The player himself has not helped the intense speculation by by failing to categorically deny that he might be in the running for a move after last week’s Champions League win over Chelsea in Moscow.

He is currently with the rest of the Portuguese squad at their Euro 2008 training camp and said earlier this week: “What the press speculate about goes over my head.

“I have already been used to it for the past two years.

“I am calm. Everything’s clear and I will repeat it once again so that the whole world understands: there will be news in two or three weeks.

“At the moment I am here, I am going to give my best and do the best possible in the European Championships.”

Manchester United assistant boss Carlos Queiroz has launched an savage attack on the Spanish country and Real Madrid in particular over what he believes are attempts to “naturalise” Cristiano Ronaldo.

Queiroz feels Madrid’s outspoken courting of his Portuguese compatriot is about more than their wish to snap up the gifted winger, claiming it is part of the long history and rivalry between Portugal and Spain.

“Cristiano Ronaldo will never be Spanish! As they will never take Olivenca again,” he told Portuguese newspaper Jornal do Noticias, referring to the small town on the disputed border between the two countries.

Queiroz also delved further into the historic rivalry, alluding to explorer Christopher Columbus - who both countries claim as theirs - and the 60-year Philippine Dynasty when Portugal was ruled by three Spanish kings until the bloodless revolution of 1640.

“They already did the same with Christopher Columbus, and it now seems they want to naturalise Cristiano Ronaldo,” added the United number two. “Have they already forgotten what we did to them in the past? We will never lose our patience.”

Ronaldo is currently with the Portuguese squad getting ready for the forthcoming European Championships, Queiroz knows the furore surrounding Ronaldo’s future could not have come at a worse time.

“It’s being done in a manner to distract the Portugal team, at the height of their preparations for the European Championships,” he said.

“But I am convinced that despite pressure from the Spanish sporting press he will not accept to change his nationality.

“However, it is an attack with a well-defined strategy and Portugal should be worried about that.”

Manchester United has threatened to report Real Madrid to FIFA over the Spanish club’s public and blatant attempts to lure Cristiano Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.

Real Madrid have admitted that they want to buy the United winger, whose 42 goals for the Old Trafford club this season helped United win the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

Although Ronaldo is only 13 months into a five-year deal, Madrid is reported as saying it is willing to pay a world-record transfer of about 60 million pounds (US$118.8 million; €75.6 million) for United’s wide man.

Tired of seeing headlines on a daily basis about Ronaldo’s future, United issued a statement on Tuesday threatening to take action against the Spanish club.

“Manchester United has watched with growing irritation the comments attributed to Real Madrid over their alleged desire to sign Cristiano Ronaldo,” the club said on its Web site. “The facts are: the player is on a long-term contract and his registration is held by Manchester United. The player is not for sale. The club will have no alternative but to report Real Madrid to the world governing body, FIFA, if it continues to behave in this totally unacceptable fashion. These public attempts to unsettle the player are completely against the regulations and the club will not tolerate them any longer.”

United said Madrid’s attempts to buy Ronaldo are also a distraction for the Portuguese national squad as it prepares for next month’s European Championship.

“No one should be in any doubt that Manchester United will do everything in its power to keep its best players,” the club said.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s feelings regarding ’moral-less’ Real Madrid is no doubt going to slip to new debths, as coach Bernd Schuster confirmed to the world that Cristiano Ronaldo is his club’s number one summer transfer target.

Ferguson has already voiced his dislike of Madrid open courting for Cristiano Ronaldo and is expected to be livid by Schuster speaking about the 23-year-old Manchester United winger in a manner that would suggest the signing has been signed, sealed and delivered.

“There are other players we have been looking at but everything has slowed down a little due to all this Cristiano Ronaldo business, seeing as he is the big priority for the club,” said Schuster.

He added: “The English way has been a perfect education for a player with such exceptional individual talent.

“There he has learned to enjoy his football as a complete professional. This means we would get a Cristiano who would arrive here with his lessons learned.”

For his part, the United boss is adamant Ronaldo neither wants to, nor will be, leaving Old Trafford this summer, claiming last week the acid test of the relationship between player and club will not be faced for another two years. Ronaldo is, of course only in the second year of a 5 years Old Trafford deal.

And while Ferguson understands the clear value to him of the 42-goal Ronaldo in his squad, he also spoke of the neccesity to keep strengthening and mentioned his interest in one of United’s high-profile rivals.

“Cristiano would help us in a lot of ways, without a doubt, but we can’t stop with just him,” he explained. “He’ll be expensive and we’ll have to pay a lot of money, but we need more players because he won’t be enough.

“For a few months now we have had a plan and we know what we want, but now Alexander Hleb has been added to that plan. We didn’t know he would be able to leave Arsenal, but now it seems he will.”