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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.

MANCHESTER UNITED chief executive David Gill has reiterated that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at Old Trafford.

The Portugal winger is currently preparing for Euro 2008 after scoring 42 goals last season.

But there is continued speculation about the 23-year-old’s future plans ahead of the tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

United remain bullish about the situation and insist he will stay their player.

“Our position is clear. Sir Alex Ferguson and I stated it in the last week,” said Gill, as he announced they are to play Portsmouth in a dress rehearsal for the Community Shield in Nigeria in July.

“That’s it. That’s all we are going to say on the matter, full stop.”

The exhibition match will be the finale to the Tinapa Business Resorts soccer tournament.

The date and venue have still to be arranged with United travelling to Nigeria from South Africa, where they are involved in the Vodacom Challenge tournament from July 19-26.

Gill said: “It is not the 39th game by stealth, don’t worry about that. It is just a coincidence we are playing Portsmouth.

“Exhibition games overseas can help Manchester United, but also the Premier League in terms of making sure it is at the forefront of those fans’ minds when it comes to selling it.”

Cristiano Ronaldo has already won a Champions League and Premier League double with Manchester United, and now goes for a remarkable treble if he can inspire Portugal to victory in Euro 2008.

The 23-year-old winger, who scored 42 goals in all competitions for United, will be the key as Portugal look to ease their way past co-hosts Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Turkey, their opening Group A opponents on Saturday.

Portugal, coached by Luiz Felipe Scolari, head into the tournament free of the pressures that burdened them as hosts four years ago. They froze in the final and were beaten by Greece.

Scolari said that Ronaldo could end the tournament as the undisputed best player in the world. “We know that there might be some doubt over which club he might be playing for next season but I don’t expect him to have too many sleepless nights,” Scolari said. “Instead I expect him to have a great Euro 2008 and prove himself to be the best player in the world.”

If Ronaldo fails to shine in Austria and Switzerland, a star could emerge from a growing group of promising players who have yet to become household names such as France’s midfielder Jeremy Toulalan and striker Karim Benzema, who helped secure the double with Lyon. Benzema, aged 20, has had a superb season, topping the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 20 goals.

Two other strikers also have the chance to display their skills to a global audience – Marco Borriello of Italy and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Netherlands.

Borriello, 25, has blossomed since moving from AC Milan to promoted Genoa last year, leading the Serie A scoring charts for weeks and ending with 19 goals.

Huntelaar, 24, easily topped the list of Dutch league scorers with 33 goals for Ajax.

Two Spanish players who should catch the eye after impressive seasons are Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. Another midfielder to watch is Croatia’s Luka Modric, who has just signed for Tottenham and directs the play for an outstanding team that could be dark horses for the trophy.

CRISTIANO RONALDO has dropped a bombshell on Manchester United by insisting he wants to join spanish giants Real Madird.

Ronaldo, 23, was widely expected to stick with United after guiding Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to the Double, but the latest twist occured today in his latest interview with a Portuguese magazine.

But the Portuguese ace moved a step closer to a record-breaking move today by urging the Red Devils to accept an offer from the Spanish giants.

He said: “I would like to play for Real Madrid but only if it is true they are ready to pay what Manchester United ask of them.

“However, it does not depend on me.”

Real have been chasing Ronaldo for some time and are keen to tie up a move as quickly as possible.

United have rejected their advances but the La Liga champions refuse to throw in the towel.

And Ronaldo’s comments will bolster their determination to land the man widely regarded as the world’s best player.

If the deal does go through, United will have the consolation of pocketing a record that smashes all records in world football.

Ronaldo is expected to cost in the region of £75million, which will smash the current transfer record set by Zinedine Zidane’s £44m move from Juventus to Real in 2001.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s first training session in Switzerland in preparation for the European Championship with ice wrapped around his right ankle Monday.

The winger looked to be fine throughout the session but before he returned to the dressing room, doctors taped the ice around his foot. He was not limping and did not appear to be in pain, but the Portuguese medical team didn’t immediately explain what had happened.

Portugal underwent a light training session a day after arriving in the lakeside town of Neuchatel for its final week of preparation before Saturday’s start of the tournament. The players trained and did a few drills before a short session with the ball at La Maladiere Stadium.

The morning practice session, which was closed to fans, lasted about an hour and a half. The team will also train in the afternoon. Tuesday’s practice was expected to be open to fans and tickets have been sold-out for days.

Newly signed Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa practised separately from teammates, running around the field and doing specific drills with a trainer.

Portugal, the Euro 2004 finalist, debuts Saturday against Turkey in Geneva. Host Switzerland and the Czech Republic are the other two teams in Group A.

About 5,000 fans greeted players and coaches when they arrived from Portugal on Sunday night, waving Portuguese flags and chanting loudly.

“We knew we would be welcomed in here, but this was beyond our expectations,” Portuguese football federation president Gilberto Madail said. “What we saw was unforgettable, but now we must focus on the work we have ahead of our first game.”

About 10,000 Portuguese fans went to Neuchatel to greet the squad on Sunday, city officials said.

Portugal will be based in Neuchatel at least until the semifinals if it progresses that far.

Under Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Portugal is coming off successful campaigns in recent top competitions. After losing to Greece on home soil in the Euro 2004 final, Portugal reached the 2006 World Cup semifinals, losing to France.

Portugal beat Georgia 2-0 on Saturday in Viseu in its final warm-up match.

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.”