August 11, 2008
Manchester United remain hopeful that Cristiano Ronaldo will be back in action by October.
Having committed his short-term future to the Red Devils, ending the constant speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, the Portugal international is now concentrating on regaining full fitness as soon as possible.
The talismanic winger underwent ankle surgery shortly after Euro 2008 and is still some way off a first-team return.
However, having been assessed by the United medical team on Friday, Sir Alex Ferguson is happy with the progress being made by Ronaldo in his rehabilitation.
[Skysports]
August 8, 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson says that Cristiano Ronaldo will be at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future. Ronaldo pledged his immediate future to Manchester United earlier this week, but stated that he would one day like to end up at Real Madrid.
That seemed to signal that this may be Ronaldo’s final season as a Manchester United player but, speaking ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield, Ferguson expressed confidence that the Portuguese winger will remain at the club for the four remaining years of his contract - and possibly even beyond.
“As he gets older, I think Cristiano will appreciate being here more and more,” Ferguson said. “That happens with players the longer they stay here. They don’t want to leave. It’s unusual for anyone to want to leave Manchester United. Cristiano realises that, too.
“We had a good meeting over in Portugal and clarified a lot of things. He was good, and I was pleased with that. That’s why I was confident that everything was going to be all right. Cristiano will settle down and enjoy his career here. He’s got four years on his contract, and hopefully at some point we would like to extend it. That’s where we are.”
[Guardian]
July 27, 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson insists he has no qualms about Cristiano Ronaldo spending time in Los Angeles as he recovers from his recent ankle operation.
The Manchester United manager revealed the club have sent an employee to accompany the Portuguese winger.
“He was always scheduled to have this time off in Los Angeles. There was no harm in going there,” said Ferguson.
“He’s doing some commercial things. I think he’s signed up with an LA-based company. I’ve someone there with him.”
Ferguson dismissed as “a load of rubbish” reports Ronaldo has been drinking and partying excessively during his rehabilitation.
[BBC]
July 7, 2008
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo was undergoing surgery Monday morning on his right ankle in Amsterdam.
The 23-year-old Portuguese revealed after last month’s European Championship that he had been playing in pain for the last three months.
Ronaldo arrived at the Academic Medical Center on Sunday night to see surgeon Niek van Dijk.
July 3, 2008
Manchester United officials have met with Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since he confirmed his desire to leave in order to asses his ankle.
The Portugal international returned to his homeland on Wednesday following a brief holiday in Italy in order to set a date for ankle surgery.
Ronaldo has now been told he needs further specialist advice to discover the full extent of his ankle problem.
The Red Devils ace’s future remains unclear this summer after he confirmed his desire to join Real Madrid despite having a long-term contract at Old Trafford.
[Skysports]
June 30, 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson returns to work at Manchester United this morning after his holiday, convinced that he will triumph in the forthcoming battle of wills with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal winger is determined to engineer a move to Real Madrid, but Ferguson is vehemently opposed to selling and will spend this week examining ways to strengthen his squad.
The two men are not believed to have spoken since Ronaldo left Manchester to join the Portugal squad in late May, with the player doing nothing to dispel rumours of growing tension between him and his club manager.
But while Ferguson has been disappointed by some of Ronaldo’s comments, he does not want to sell the player and is convinced that Ronaldo will drop the issue when he learns of the extent of United’s opposition to the sale.
[Timesonline]
June 27, 2008
Ronaldo is putting the transfer saga behind him and having a beach holiday with his girlfriend Nereida Gallardo…
[Telegraph]
June 25, 2008
Carlos Queiroz, Manchester United’s Portuguese assistant manager, has reiterated the club’s desire to persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to change his mind about wanting to join Real Madrid.
“Manchester United is very special,” Queiroz told the Portuguese radio station Renascenca. “Because of that we know how to surround Cristiano completely with all the affection and all the attention he deserves. However, not speaking is the most sensible course of action at this moment, so that we don’t contribute to a less than positive spectacle and so we don’t aid those whose interests are difficult to identify.”
[Guardian]
June 23, 2008
France legend Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid will end up signing Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Spanish giants have made no secret of their desire to sign the 23-year-old Portuguese winger, despite United’s insistence they will not sell.
“Every time Madrid want good players they get them,” said former Real star Zidane, in Vienna for Euro 2008.
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June 21, 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo says he hopes to “complete his dream” of moving to Real Madrid, despite Manchester United insisting he is “not for sale”.
The European champions said on Friday: “We are not listening to offers.”
But the Portugal winger, 23, has signalled his intention to “take advantage of a great opportunity”.
“Everybody knows what I want but things don’t only depend on me,” he said. “I am not the person who decides but I hope to complete my dream.”
Ronaldo stated that he made up his mind before the Champions League final that he wanted to leave United for Real.
And he revealed that Luiz Felipe Scolari, about to take over at Chelsea after Portugal’s exit from Euro 2008, advised him to make the move.
“It is a dream, a step forward,” Ronaldo replied when asked about the prospect of playing at the Bernabau.
“For me, it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it.”
[BBC]