19 Dec 2008

Ferguson hits out at latest Real claim

7:05 pm on 19 December 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out at Real Madrid over claims Manchester United have agreed to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish football giants.

Real director Pedro Trapote reportedly told Spanish newspaper El Mundo a deal had been struck, saying there are clauses keeping them from announcing it.

But following their semi-final victory at the World Club Championship in Japan, Ferguson insisted there was no such agreement with Real.....

The latest twist in the Real Madrid-Ronaldo story could well open wounds between the clubs following the acrimonious dealings between United and the Spanish giants during the last off-season.

Real's public pursuit of the 23-year-old ended with United complaining to Fifa over their conduct, with Ferguson claiming they had shown "a lack of morals".

The case was dismissed because of a lack of evidence, and Ronaldo later told Spanish sports paper Marca in October that he is "with Manchester in body and soul".

Ronaldo, this year's Ballon D'Or winner, is currently contracted at Old Trafford until 2012.