OPERATION RONALDO

Last updated : 29 June 2006 By Ed

The Super Soaraway Sun:

Carlos Quieroz has been charged with the task of convincing wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson told his No2 Queiroz to meet countryman Ronaldo in Germany for a heart-to-heart.

Portugal winger Ron stunned United on Tuesday by saying he wanted to join Real Madrid.

But Fergie desperately wants to keep Ronaldo, seeing him and Wayne Rooney as the two key players in the club's future.

Queiroz helped the winger a lot when he left Sporting Lisbon and struggled to settle in Manchester. Now Ferguson wants Queiroz to talk him round.

Queiroz is understood to be at the World Cup in Germany and planning to visit Ronaldo. That will probably come after Ronaldo's quarter-final match with England on Saturday.

Ronaldo, 21, made his announcement as part of Juan Miguel Villa Mir's campaign to win the presidential election at Real Madrid.

There is a sense of disbelief at Old Trafford that Ronaldo wants to go. Yesterday a poll showed 54 per cent of United fans would get rid of him.