Ronaldo To Real - Deal Done?

[K-9]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...utd/7789229.stm

 

Man Utd deny Real's Ronaldo claim

 

Manchester United have vigorously dismissed suggestions they have agreed to sell winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid at the end of the season.

 

Real director Pedro Trapote reportedly told Spanish newspaper El Mundo a deal had been struck, but added "there are clauses keeping us from announcing it".

 

But BBC Manchester's Steve Wyeth said the news has been greeted with anger by United officials.

 

"It's been strongly dismissed, and with pretty colourful language," said Wyeth.

 

Trapote, understood to be very close to club president Ramon Calderon, had gone on record to tell El Mundo: "We have already signed our top target for next summer.

 

"Is it Cristiano Ronaldo? It is Cristiano, there is no-one else. The thing is, it is better not to say anything right now."

 

But Wyeth, who is with the United team in Japan for their Fifa World Club Cup campaign, insists the claims have been met with disbelief by manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his team.

 

No official statement has yet emerged from the club, but the BBC has been told in no uncertain terms that Trapote's claims are inaccurate.

 

And the latest twist in the Real Madrid-Ronaldo story could well open wounds between the clubs following the acrimonious dealings between United and the Spanish giants over the summer.

 

Real's public pursuit of the 23-year-old ended with United complaining to Fifa over their conduct, with Ferguson claiming they had shown "a lack of morals".

 

The case was dismissed because of a lack of evidence, and Ronaldo later told Spanish sports paper Marca in October that he is "with Manchester in body and soul".

 

Ronaldo, this year's Ballon D'Or winner, is currently contracted at Old Trafford until 2012

[Guest stoney]

Should have sold him in the summer

[BUNTS]

Yawn

[fatshaft]

Fergie - "I wouldn't sell them a virus"