FERGIE DELUDES HIMSELF

Alex Ferguson insists "there isn't a problem" with Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo despite reports linking the Portuguese star with a move to Real Madrid.

Real presidential candidate Juan Miguel Villar Mir pledged he would sign the 21-year-old if elected on Sunday, and the Spanish press quoted the player as saying he "dreamed" of a move to Madrid.

But Ferguson told MUTV:

"There isn't a problem with the boy and I don't expect any problems. Over the years when people have been involved in a bid to become president at Madrid they have used clubs like ours.

"They talk about what they're going to do for Madrid and how they will bring in big players. They have promised to buy about half a dozen players over the last few weeks including Ronaldo and Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid.

"I've experienced it time and time again in the past. It's just talk to try and encourage people to vote for them."

Just talk eh? Like the “talk” about how they'd sign Figo from Barcelona perhaps? And no doubt in Fergie World they somehow forced Ronaldo to give those quotes too.

The Times reports:

It remains to be seen whether England will face the unpredictable threat of Cristiano Ronaldo when they take on Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, but Manchester United might be about to find out what a slippery customer he can be.

There was astonishment at Old Trafford when the club learnt that the winger was talking of an agreement to join Real Madrid and, while their fury was subsequently vented at one of the Spanish club's presidential candidates, they are extremely concerned by the player's apparent two-timing.

There have been long-standing rumours of Ronaldo's dissatisfaction with life at United and specifically of his desire to move to Real. These had not been dismissed by his decision to sign a new five-year contract last autumn, but it came as a great surprise when the 20-year-old was quoted in Marca, the Madrid-based sports newspaper, talking casually about his decision to sign up to the project laid out to him by Juan Miguel Villar Mir, who hopes to become the Spanish club's president at their elections on Sunday.

Although Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, was not available to comment, sources indicate that Villar Mir's claims of an agreement with the player's representatives are accurate. Less clear are Villar Mir's prospects of winning Sunday's election.

The 74-year-old lawyer, who briefly served as Spain's Finance Minister in the 1970s, has led a strong campaign — along with his running mate, Carlos Sainz, the rally driver — but Lorenzo Sanz, Arturo Baldasano and Ramon Calderon also enjoy strong support among the club's 70,000 members.