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Madrid admit defeat in quest to sign winger Ronaldo

06/07/2008

Manchester United look set to keep Cristiano Ronaldo after Real Madrid admitted defeat in their bid to sign the midfielder.

Ronaldo revealed last month he wants to sign for the Spanish champions after four years at United.

Madrid have yet to make an official bid for the Portuguese winger, who is valued at around £70 million.

The club's president Ramon Calderon has today admitted they are unlikely to make an offer because United do not want to sell the 23-year-old.

"We have not had any discussions with Ronaldo because Manchester said they don't want to sell and we don't want to be disrespectful to them," Calderon told the BBC.

"I wouldn't like to interfere in a relationship between player and club.

"We are very good friends with Manchester United and they have said many times that they don't want to sell the player so we can't do anything.

"If they say sometime that they would like to sell we will be there and will ask."

Calderon and Manchester United chief-executive David Gill will meet tomorrow at the European Club Association general assembly in Switzerland.

Ronaldo will have ankle surgery next week and will be sidelined for six weeks. The ex-Sporting Lisbon midfielder could miss United's opener against Newcastle United on August 16th.