Cristiano Ronaldo: I do not need Ferguson

Cristiano Ronaldo has underlined his growing disregard for Manchester United by saying that he is prepared to upset Sir Alex Ferguson to secure a world-record transfer to Real Madrid. The Portugal forward has made clear his determination to move to the Spanish club, who will make an opening bid for him within days, and yesterday he revealed that he has not spoken to Ferguson for several weeks while listening to the advice of Luiz Felipe Scolari, the new Chelsea manager.

Ronaldo declared within moments of Portugal’s elimination from the European Championship finals by Germany on Thursday that he hopes to join Real and while a formal statement to that effect is expected to follow over the weekend, he continued his propaganda mission yesterday, adding that he had made his decision to leave United before the Champions League final win over Chelsea last month and that Scolari, who has stood down as Portugal coach to take over at Stamford Bridge the week after next, has urged him to accept the opportunity of a lifetime in Spain.

Ferguson maintains that United will not sell Ronaldo, who has four years left on a contract worth £120,000 a week, but when asked whether he was worried that his plan to join Real would upset his manager, the player said: “It is my opinion. That is why I don’t mind if people get upset. It is my decision. It is what I want. I don’t know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think.”

Ronaldo added that he had not spoken to Ferguson since joining up with the Portugal squad more than three weeks ago, saying: “I was in a very important competition and we had nothing to say to each other.”

But even after Portugal’s elimination, Ronaldo said that his preferred course of action was to issue a statement “and we will then see what happens.” The only immediate contact he is planning with anyone at United is with the club’s medical staff, whom he will ask to prescribe surgery to cure a foot injury that he has been carrying for the past three months.

Although Ronaldo has not been in communication with Ferguson, who has been on holiday in the South of France, the player has been more willing to seek advice from Scolari, who may have a vested interest in the player’s movements now that he is about to take charge of Chelsea.

“It [moving to Real] is a dream, a step forward, you can call it what you want,” Ronaldo said. “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. That is why he took advantage of his change. Other people have to take advantage of opportunities, too.”

Ronaldo’s next step will be to issue a statement over the weekend, in which he is expected to talk of the commitment he has shown, the performances he has produced and the trophies he has won for United over the past five seasons and to ask for their blessing to allow him to join Real.

That statement will be followed by a scheduled meeting of the Real hierarchy on Tuesday, after which Predrag Mijatovic, the Spanish club’s sporting director, will be urged to open formal negotiations with David Gill, the United chief executive.

United responded to Ronaldo’s comments by issuing a statement yesterday morning saying that he is “not for sale” and that the club are “not listening to offers”, which is in keeping with their stance since Ronaldo shocked them by stating on May 15 that he was planning to make an announcement about his future.

Initially, Ferguson and Gill suspected that Ronaldo was merely angling for an improved contract, but it has become increasingly clear that the player is serious about his intention to pursue his “dream” of playing for Real.