Having flirted with the possibility of leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid for most of the summer, Cristiano Ronaldo today pledged to put his heart and soul into helping the Red Devils achieve further glory in 2008-09.

Portugal international Ronaldo dismayed many United by initially refusing to confirm that he wanted to stay to honour his contract at Old Trafford after being linked with Real Madrid, who made no secret of their wish to lure the winger to the Bernabeu.

But United held firm, manager Sir Alex Ferguson proved more persuasive in the end, and Real were disappointed.

The 23-year-old Ronaldo, nearing a return to action following ankle surgery, has now admitted he was ‘naïve’ with his comments over the summer, and confessed that if United had not beaten Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out in the Champions League final, he would not have even considered seeking a fresh challenge.

“What I said publicly, which was maybe a little bit naïve, I take total responsibility for,” he told Inside United magazine.

“I just said what I thought: I have a dream of playing at Real and I thought it was time to move on. People can’t be upset about me fulfilling a child-hood dream.

“I knew Real were interested in me and they had, allegedly, made a substantial offer. For a while, I wanted United to accept.

“If we hadn’t been European champions, I probably wouldn’t have thought about going to Madrid. I never wanted to go against United’s will.

“I’m 100 per cent professional and have always given my heart and soul to this club.

“If one day I leave, I want to do it knowing I did everything I could to help the club win as much as possible.”

HERE you can read a great article about the current “Ronaldo Obsession”.

And here you’ll find a video interview of Ronaldo (among others).

The mega-rich owners of Manchester City have put him top of their shopping list - and they will be encouraged by Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest purchase.

For the United winger, who was linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer, has ditched his allegiance to the Red Devils and bought a new £340,000 Bentley coupe - in City blue.

And if Ronaldo needs any help filling up the luxury saloon - then he could always ask Arab sheikh Dr Suliman Al Fahuim, who led the takeover of Manchester City this week.

Ronaldo’s newest motor will join his new black Rolls Royce Phantom – which cost a jaw-dropping £340,000, and his runaround, a silver £140,000 Bentley convertible.

The 23-year-old has been on something of an automotive spending spree, and has just spent £150,000 on registration plate CR7 – his initials and shirt number at Old Trafford, for his car.

The new number plate takes his total spending with luxury car firm Liquid 45 to a reported £490,000 in the past month.

A source told The Sun: ‘Cristiano is developing an obsession with CR7. It has to be on everything he owns – cars included.

‘He has been after the number plate for ages and finally got his hands on it.’

Al Fahim, who through the Abu Dhabi United Group took control of City yesterday, after buying out Thaksin Shinawatra, has already broken the British transfer record following the £32.5m capture of Robinho from Real Madrid.

With money no object, City have been linked with a host of players - including Kaka, Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres.

Indeed, it is believed a bid for Torres was made yesterday before the transfer window closed, but Liverpool rejected it out of hand.

However, Al Fahim’s top target is Ronaldo, who was the subject of concerted interest from Real Madrid this summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson refused to bow to pressure from Real and, for a brief period, the player himself and sanction a transfer to the Bernebeu.

And he is even less likely to permit the club’s star player from swapping his red shirt for blue and joining United’s city rivals.

Al Fahim, though, is not a man who takes no for an answer, and is ready to test the water with a bid that will shatter the world record.

Arabian Business magazine has quoted Al Fahim as saying: “Ronaldo has said he wants to play for the biggest club in the world, so we will see in January if he is serious.

“Real Madrid were estimating his value at $160m (£90m) but for a player like that, to actually get him, will cost a lot more, I would think $240m (£135m).

“But why not? We are going to be the biggest club in the world, bigger than both Real Madrid and Manchester United.

“We’re not just going to spend money on anyone, but if we can get the biggest players in the world, and of course if the manager wants them, then we will get them.”

It is thought a transfer fund totalling around £250m has been allocated for the next two seasons, by which time it is “expected” that the club will be as successful on the pitch as Man United and Chelsea. telegraph.co.uk

The Manchester United man had surgery on a troublesome ankle injury following Euro 2008 and is likely to miss the first six weeks of the new Premier League season.

However, according to Sky Sports the Portuguese winger is recovering well from his operation and is on target to return to action quicker than originally anticipated.

Speaking about Ronaldo’s injury manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Cristiano has been doing excellently. He is well ahead of schedule. The specialist was surprised the condition he was in.”

The United boss also described his midfielder’s current condition and admitted he was pleased by his progress. He revealed: “There has been no problem, his progress has been great. He has never missed a session morning or afternoon. We are pencilling him in for the beginning of October.”

Despite the good news on his injury, Ronaldo still looks set to miss both of United’s clashes with both Chelsea and Liverpool in September, however he could return in time to face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on 4 October.

Getting Better

Ferguson outlined the current plan for Ronaldo’s recuperation and admitted he was some way off returning to working with a football. He said: “The next three weeks he will have rehab and then the next part will be endurance work and serious running before he goes into the football side with us.”

Ronaldo was United’s top scorer last season with 42 goals in all competitions and although Ferguson admitted he was expected the winger to improve even further next season, he did confess he wasn’t expecting the same incredible goalscoring return.

“Improvement can come in different ways for Ronaldo this season. 42 goals is a target - it is still possible for him to achieve that given the talent of the boy and his goalscoring ability. But you have to say it is a big target,” said Ferguson before adding, “Where you will see the improvement is in his authority and decision-making, which improves with experience. Experience gives you a lot of things - timing especially.”

Rooney The Goalkeeper?

Sir Alex Ferguson also went on to pay tribute to striker Wayne Rooney, the man who will largely be charged with replacing Ronaldo’s goals whilst his team mate recovers from surgery.

Whilst Rooney was thoroughly outscored by Ronaldo last season, the England striker managed 18 goals, he was often played out of position and Ferguson admitted that this was sometimes unfair on his frontman.

“We have to be fairer to Wayne this season,” said the United boss before concluding, “He says he could play centre-midfield, centre-half, goalkeeper. If you ask him to do a job, he will - no problem.”

Gill Clark

HE WAS so good last season, surely Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United could not do it again.

That is at least what Chelsea skipper John Terry believes.

Ronaldo’s stunning 42-goal haul last season underpinned United’s Premier League and European Double and Old Trafford now awaits to see if his brilliance was a one-off.

Terry insists he will fail to scale those heights again, that it will be impossible for him to sustain such sensational form for another season.

In fact, he believes Sir Alex Ferguson’s whole team have peaked and cannot improve.

‘I don’t think United have another level to go to. They had a lot of players who have been at the peak of their form for the last two years,’ he said.

‘Rio Ferdinand has been awesome for the last two years and Cristiano Ronaldo was unbelievable - I don’t think you’ll see that again.

‘Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs - they have all been fantastic.

‘I think we can close the gap because United were at the very top of their game last season.

‘But we’ve been very close to them and we had injuries and a change of manager.’

The Chelsea captain is still clearly tormented by the memories of finishing runners-up to United in the Premier League and Champions League and does not want the season to end in tears again.

‘Seeing them win the (league) trophy was frustrating. It doesn’t get any better seeing them lift the trophy that we made ours when (Jose) Mourinho first took over,’ Terry said on Tuesday.

‘We want it back and that’s what we’re aiming for.

‘With the injuries we’ve had, as players we can all raise the bar a little bit.’

CONFIDENCE

Adding to the Blues’ confidence is the fact that Ronaldo will be sidelined until October after his ankle surgery.

Ronaldo’s form last season also led to Real Madrid’s summer pursuit of the winger that threatened to destabilise the club.

When he does return he could face a hostile reception from United fans because of his part in Real’s bid for him.

‘(Ferguson) realises we weren’t too far from them when they were at the very top of their game,’ Terry added.

‘With it being that close in the Premiership and Champions League, they know we’ll give them a big run for their money.’

However, the Community Shield win against Portsmouth did show that United’s defence is as solid as it has been for the last two seasons. — Wire Services.

ONE of the key reasons behind Man United’s success in the past couple of seasons has been the defensive partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

The partnership only allowed the defence to be breached 22 times in the league last season.

And one of the bedrocks of that defence, Vidic, believes the champions of the last two seasons, not to mention the European Cup winners, are ready to kick off their campaign on Sunday against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

He said: ‘We are ready because in every pre-season game we have looked stronger, sharper and quicker.’

The Serbian defender hopes United start better than they did last season when they had to settle for a home draw with Reading on the opening day.

‘The first match against Newcastle is very important. We hope to do better than last season and get three points with our first game,’ he said.

Despite winning a glorious Double, Vidic is far from satisfied and wants even more silverware next season.

‘We would like to do better,’ he said. ‘I hope we get to be the best.

‘We want to play well and to win trophies. With a bit of luck we will win more than one.’

- PA Sport.

The pledge was made when the pair met in Lisbon last month after the Manchester United manager flew out to convince the star that he should not go to the Bernabéu.

Barcelona had made tentative enquiries about Ronaldo earlier in the season and, according to Marca, Ferguson said that he could go there for half the money that the media were stating Madrid would pay.

It was a clear indication of how bad relations between Los Merengues and the Red Devils had become after the Premier League giants accused the Spanish outfit of tapping up the player.

Ronaldo only had eyes for Madrid, however, and told Ferguson that if he would not be allowed to join them then he would be willing stay at Old Trafford, albeit for just one more season.

Marca also state that the 23-year-old has told friends in the Madrid team that if he is not allowed to join for the 2009-10 campaign then he will force through a transfer himself.

In other reports it is alleged that Madrid used the same plan that saw them prise Luis Figo away from Barcelona in 2000 when tying Ronaldo down to a pre-contract agreement to join them.

If he then did not move to the club, as has now happened, then he would be liable to pay Madrid a clause which could add up to millions of euros. {goal.com}

Sir Alex Ferguson has told Real Madrid Manchester United will not forgive or forget their attempt to land Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal that Real made an opening offer of a world record £55m for Portuguese winger Ronaldo (left) on Monday - and were shocked when the 23-year-old then publicly stated his intention to remain at Old Trafford.

The La Liga champions were set to pay Ronaldo £106,000 a week over a five-year contract - less than United pay him - but were willing to agree a split on image rights that would have doubled his wages. {source}

Cristiano Ronaldo still harbours long-term thoughts of life on the Iberian peninsular but Sir Alex Ferguson – who made it quite clear yesterday that he had laid down the law to his prodigal player – believes he may sign a new contract and even settle down to an entire career at Manchester United.

Shortly after welcoming Ronaldo back to the club yesterday morning, Ferguson cited Rio Ferdinand as an example of the kind of player who had found Manchester an alien environment – “Rio comes from another country. He comes from London,” he said with a grin – and yet settled down to it. Of the contract Ronaldo signed last April, Ferguson said: “Hopefully, at some point, we would like to extend it. That’s where we are.”

Ronaldo, right, might be only 23 but Ferguson seems to have a vision of the player, who has helped the likes of Anderson and Nani to settle, becoming one of Old Trafford’s statesmen; like Ryan Giggs, through whom the club’s culture runs. “It’s not easy for young people to come to our country, it doesn’t matter where they go, they have to settle in, get used to the culture, get used to the dressing room and then you can see their development and feel for the place,” Ferguson said. The United manager quoted the case of Nemanja Vidic, who took a long time to adjust to Manchester after arriving from Russia with his wife, Ana, expecting their son, Luka. “Things don’t happen overnight, it’s done by time and we hope that all the players we have settle here to have great careers at the club,” Ferguson said.

The chances of persuading Ronaldo to stay beyond next May do not look too great and he will need to be talked into a new contract fast. If the Portuguese does not sign an extension next summer then he will be free to leave a year after that under the Webster ruling, by paying £12.4m to buy himself out.

In the meantime, Ronaldo’s importance to the club – if only for one more season – was evidently at the front of Ferguson’s mind when he went to Lisbon to talk to him three weeks ago. “I can’t deny it was an important issue to keep him here,” said the United manager, whose side’s season begins with the Community Shield encounter with Portsmouth at Wembley tomorrow.

Ferguson made it clear that he called the shots with Ronaldo in Lisbon. “I explained the situation and what we expect of players from Manchester United,” he revealed, and he rejected any suggestion that Ronaldo might be allowed extra time off to see more of his mother, whose proximity to Madrid he cited this week as one of the reasons for Real being such a temptation. “With the [Club] World Championship [in Japan] in December, and the [European Super Cup in] Monaco, we have got two [league] games to make up somewhere in the calendar,” Ferguson said. “There’s no plan for any player to be given time off.” {read more}