LONDON, June 12 – Cristiano Ronaldo admits he can't wait to complete his "historic" 80 million pounds transfer to Real Madrid.
The 24-year-old Manchester United winger is on the verge of becoming the most expensive player in football history after his English club accepted Real’s world record bid.
The Portugal star should undergo a medical with at Bernabeu in the next week and is expected to sign on a six-year contract worth a reported 9.5 million pounds a year.
After several years of flirting with a move to Real, Ronaldo claims it is the right moment to end his six-year spell at Old Trafford.
"I have had my time at Man United. It’s time to look forward and 80million pounds is quite a sum of money. This deal is historic," Ronaldo told British newspapers from Los Angeles where he is on vacation.
"It’s flattering when two of the top teams in the world want you to play for them.
"Now I can look forward to Real Madrid and a new stage in my career. I learned of the deal here in LA and heard from my people that United had accepted."
While confirmation of Ronaldo’s proposed move came surprisingly early in the close-season, according to a report in England Real had already agreed a "gentleman’s agreement" to complete the transfer several months ago.
Ramon Calderon, the former Real Madrid president, insists he brokered a deal to sign Ronaldo befor leaving the club in January.
Calderon, who has since been replaced byFlorentino Perez, told the Sun: "We were in touch with the player. That is the important thing to know now.
"As far as I knew, he got the agreement with the club. He wanted to leave at the end of this season.
"That was what he agreed with the club and therefore it was easy, knowing that the player wanted to come to Real Madrid, to get a deal let’s say. We agreed everything and he decided to come.
"Let’s say it was a gentleman’s agreement in order not to bother Manchester last season, because (United manager, Sir Alex) Ferguson also wanted to keep the player.
"For this reason we decided to wait until this season and that is what has happened."
Ferguson will have a substantial transfer kitty once Ronaldo’s transfer goes through but, as well as looking at replacements for the winger, he will also have to focus on preventing more Old Trafford exits.
Carlos Tevez’s future remains uncertain as United refuse to meet the 32 million pounds price tag set up the Argentine’s economic rights holders and he could join Manchester City, Liverpool or Chelsea.
Serbia defender Nemanja Vidic is also considering a move to Spain, with Barcelona and Real both interested in the centre-back, whose wife Ana is believed to be unhappy with life in England.
