Ronaldo going nowhere say United

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United said Friday the latest reports claiming star winger Cristiano Ronaldo was about to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid were "utter nonsense" and insisted the Portugal international was not for sale.

Ronaldo, a boyhood Real fan, has been linked with a move to the Spanish capital since the end of last season even though he scored a hugely impressive 42 goals in all competitions last term as United won both the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

The 23-year-old may miss the start of next season should he need surgery on an ankle injury.

In the meantime, United insisted their prize asset would not be joining Real within the next few days. "It is utter nonsense and totally laughable. Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale," said a club spokesman.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has become increasingly frustrated by Real’s very public courting of Ronaldo, whose Old Trafford contract runs until 2012. And that led United to report the Bernabeu club to FIFA although the global governing body have taken no action against Real.

Were Ronaldo to leave Old Trafford, it is unlikely he would depart for a fee of much less than 70 million pounds.

United leave for their tour of South Africa on July 18 but Ronaldo was not scheduled to be a member of the squad for that pre-season trip.

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Jo joins Manchester City for record fee

MANCHESTER (AFP) - Brazilian striker Jo joined Manchester City from CSKA Moscow on Wednesday for what the English Premier League side said was a "club record" undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old forward, capped once by Brazil, signed a four-year contract and in the process became Mark Hughes’s first major signing at Eastlands since he replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as City manager.

Jo, full name Joao Alves de Assis Silva, is a left-footed forward who joined several fellow Brazilians at CSKA in 2006 when he moved from Corinthians.

It had been reported that City expected to pay around 19 million pounds (38 million dollars) for the striker, who scored 44 goals in 77 matches for the Russian club.

"I decided to come to Manchester City because it is one of the clubs who showed more interest in me, although I had other offers as well," Jo said at a press conference announcing his signing.

"After I spoke to the manager (Hughes) I was very pleased.

"I was told Manchester City is a club going forward at the moment. We can go places, that is our objective. We thought about it and I decided to come to Manchester City for that reason."

Jo added Valencia were City’s main rivals for his signature. "The club who showed interest officially was Valencia," he said. "I know from the press there were other clubs who showed interest."

Hughes added: "He’s a big talent and a young man with a big future.

"A lot has been said about him and there was a big expectation on him coming out of Brazil. So with the success he’s had I think it’s a real coup that we’ve been able to bring him to the club.

"He’s a big guy, in stature and in ability, so I think everybody will enjoy watching him play."

During his time with CSKA, Jo won the Russian league and cup double in 2006 and also made numerous Champions League appearances for the Moscow club.

He may not be the only Brazilian joining City, with Hughes confirming the side were in the hunt for Barcelona’s Ronaldinho.

The striker has been told he can leave the Nou Camp, with City, Chelsea and Italy’s AC Milan all suggested as potential destinations for Ronaldinho.

"Basically that’s a process that is ongoing," Hughes said. "I don’t think the process has slowed or accelerated."

Hughes added: "He’s a huge world star and these things, if they are going to happen, are likely to take a bit of time.

"In the discussions he’s had with the club I think he’s been very positive about the idea of coming to the club."

Last season City finished ninth in the Premier League but that wasn’t enough to prevent club chairman Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai premier, getting rid of ex-England manager Eriksson after what was widely agreed to have been a successful first year in charge at Eastlands for the Swedish boss.

Eriksson, now in charge of the Mexico national side, was replaced by former Wales and Blackburn Rovers manager Hughes last month.

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Real Madrid will pay ‘whatever it takes’ to take Cristiano Ronaldo away from Man United

Real Madrid are prepared to smash the world transfer record with an £80 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo after the Spanish club’s manager, Bernd Schuster, said they would “pay whatever it takes” to lure the Portuguese winger from Old Trafford.

With the Spanish champions also offering to pay Ronaldo £182,000-a-week after tax, the potential deal is nearly double what is currently the biggest transfer in football history which occured when Zinedine Zidane joined Madrid from Juventus for £46 million in 2001.

Real Madrid will pay ‘whatever it takes’ to take Cristiano Ronaldo away from Man United
Record breaker? Cristiano Ronaldo may fetch £80m for Man Utd

With Ronaldo having announced his “dream” of joining Madrid, the club expect the 23-year-old to force United’s hand over the sale, or put in a transfer request. Madrid may offer a cash-plus-player deal involving Wesley Sneijder or Robinho.

Ronaldo is expected in Manchester this week for assessment on a foot injury, though no meetings are scheduled with United’s hierarchy - both Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill are on holiday and have no plans to rush back to make any fresh appeal to the club’s star player.

Ronaldo’s contract runs until 2012 and, after releasing a statement in which they said that the player was not for sale, United appear content to keep Madrid waiting.
When they do meet, Ferguson and Gill are expected to try and persuade Ronaldo to spend at least one more season at United.

 

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Ronaldo not for sale, insist United

LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United slapped a ‘not for sale’ sign on striker Cristiano Ronaldo Friday following the Portuguese international striker’s most recent bid to pave the way towards joining Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has been linked with the nine-times European champions since he hinted at a move to Real five days before United’s triumph over Chelsea in the Champions League final on May 21.

And after Portugal were ousted from the Euro 2008 Thursday following a 3-2 defeat to Germany, the 23-year-old said he would announce his future intentions in “two to three days”.

However United have moved quick to quell speculation of a big-money move for their coveted star, and appear to have dug their heels in over the issue in a statement on their website.

“Further to Friday’s press speculation about where Cristiano Ronaldo’s future lies, the club has moved to reiterate its stance on the matter: United are not listening to offers,” said the statement.

“Ronaldo has continually been linked with a move to Spanish side Real Madrid this summer.

“However, the club reaffirmed its position to ManUtd.com on Friday morning. And the message is simple: the 23-year-old United star is ‘not for sale’.”

Ronaldo told reports after Thursday’s defeat: “There will be news in the coming days.

Asked about a move to Real, he said: “It’s a big possibility, but it doesn’t just depend on me.

“I think a concrete offer has been made (from Real), but we’ll see what happens in the next few days and whether we can come to some kind of agreement.”

Real are reportedly willing to pay United 80 million euros for the Portuguese striker, however Ronaldo - whose contract with United does not expire until 2012 - admitted that “negotiations (to leave the club) would be difficult”.

He said he hoped to talk to United bosses, and seemed to leave no doubts over his preferred destination, adding: “Everyone knows what I want, and what my dream is.

“I hope to have talks with United. Hopefully everything will be decided in two to three days time.”

Ronaldo also said he will undergo a foot operation in Manchester in the coming days to remedy a problem that he said had plagued him in recent weeks.

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France Euro 2008 Squad

France Coach Raymond Domenech named his 23-man squad for Euro 2008 and Bafetimbi Gomis earned a place in France’s final 23-man squad for Euro 2008 on Wednesday, a day after celebrating his first cap with two goals in a 2-0 warm-up win over Ecuador.

Gomis had been expected to be dropped until he became the first player to score twice on his France debut since Zinedine Zidane in a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic in 1994.

France are in Group C with world champions Italy, Netherlands and Romania at Euro 2008.

France Euro 2008 Squad

Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Francois Clerc (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyon), William Gallas (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona).

Midfielders: Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

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