Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón said today that his club’s pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo is officially over. Ronaldo was Real’s top transfer target during a summer of protracted speculation after his 42 goals helped Manchester United win the Premier League and Champions League double. The attention appeared to unsettle Ronaldo and it prompted United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to claim Real “have no moral issues at all”.
Ferguson eventually kept hold of the Portuguese player and Calderón has now claimed that Real will not inquire again until United are prepared to sell. “It is forgotten, not only for January but forever,” said Calderón. “We would only talk about it if Manchester decide they want to sell him. But the matter is over. We talked about it last season. Manchester decided not to sell the player and we don’t want to do anything against a club like Manchester.
“Madrid is not doing anything to disturb a ‘friend club’ like Manchester. We are two very big clubs. We want to be good friends forever. We are in the same market. I have a lot of respect for Manchester. I have a good relationship with [Manchester United chief executive] David Gill and I want it to be like that for a long time.”
Ronaldo now has his sights set on making history by helping United become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League title. “The summer has passed and what I had to say I said it,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I am at Manchester and I want to win again with Manchester.”
Calderón also provided a brief insight into the value Milan will derive from signing former Real midfielder David Beckham on loan, if they can secure the deal. “He is a very well-known player. He is a player who can give a lot to the club he signs for,” the Real president added.
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Didier Drogba will not face any disciplinary action from the Football Association over comments in his autobiography saying he wished he had punched Nemanja Vidic in the Champions League final.
The Chelsea striker was sent off in the final in May for slapping the Manchester United defender and in his book he said he now wishes he had punched Vidic. The FA has studied the remark in the context of the book and decided to take no action.
Drogba wrote: “I have seen the match on video and I believe I should not have been sent off with three minutes to go. If I had punched him, I would have understood. Now I wish I had.”
The FA did not view the comments as being in the same vein as those made by Roy Keane, when the former United skipper said he had deliberately injured a rival player, Alf Inge Haaland. In 2002 Keane was fined £150,000 and banned for five matches.
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Wayne Rooney should be fit for England’s forthcoming World Cup qualifiers despite picking up an ankle injury
The former Tottenham manager Terry Venables claims Dimitar Berbatov pursued his own dreams at the cost of the club who backed him
Keith Hackett has been cleared of any responsibility for the decision to overrule John Terry’s red card at Manchester City
Michael Carrick faces between four and six weeks on the sidelines with a broken bone in his foot
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have both come through a training session ahead of Manchester United’s visit to Anfield
Sir Alex Ferguson is unconcerned by the threat posed by Manchester City, following their takeover
Manchester United were closing in on the signing of Tottenham Hotpsur striker Dimitar Berbatov
Louis Saha has signed a two-year deal with Everton after passing a medical over the weekend
Mikaël Silvestre has completed his surprise move from Man Utd to Arsenal for an undisclosed fee
Manchester United repeated their Moscow heroics by claiming the Community Shield with a penalty shoot-out win over Portsmouth
Sir Alex Ferguson says that Cristiano Ronaldo will be at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future
Bernd Schuster believes it is a ’shame’ that Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to stay in England, but has urged his club to put the matter behind them
Cristiano Ronaldo has told a Portugese newspaper he wants to remain at Manchester United for at least another season
Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has denied the improper conduct charge levelled at him by the FA
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney has been questioned by police after allegedly spitting at a photographer
Burnley have signed Manchester United’s Chris Eagles on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee believed to be in excess of £1m
Chelsea target Robinho has indicated that he wants to stay at Real Madrid rather than move to London
Spurs have presented the Premier League with detailed accusations against Manchester United and Liverpool over their pursuit of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane
Manchester United’s Patrice Evra has been charged with improper conduct after his altercation at Stamford Bridge
Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo will not be sold but will be out for three months with an ankle injury
Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United have made a formal offer for a player, believed to be Dimitar Berbatov, who could enhance his side ‘a great deal’
Sir Alex Ferguson’s No2 Carlos Queiroz has left Old Trafford to become Portugal coach
Wayne Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford has vowed to appeal against the £300,000 fine and 18-month ban imposed on him
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo is due to have his right ankle operated upon in Amsterdam today
Robinho’s agent has hinted at a possible move from Real Madrid to Chelsea, rather than Manchester United
Uefa will try to persuade England’s top Champions League earners to accept a smaller share of the competition’s future revenues
Manchester United’s manager and his No2 will not face sanction despite their outbursts after last season’s FA Cup defeat
The Football Association will ask to see CCTV footage of the post-match scuffle between United players and Chelsea staff
