Real Deal agreed in December

Real Madrid's former president (the one Fergie said he wouldn't sell a virus to) has told the Spanish press that he had captured Cristiano Ronaldo's signature as far back as December 2008!

Ramon Calderon was convinced Ronaldo would come, and Ronaldo even agreed to signa contract with a £30m penalty clause.

"Cristiano reached an agreement on December 8 2008 with Manchester United to come to Real Madrid. There was no negotiation about this, the signing was already done. I did my bit. The player, in a gesture of good faith and clear desire to come to Madrid, agreed to a clause which could have inflicted a financial penalty of 30 million euros.

"But then Barcelona and Inter Milan tried to sign him too. It was a difficult situation because for United that would have solved the problem. It's very well known that Alex Ferguson is not a friend of Real Madrid, does not see Madrid in good light because they are sporting rivals, in trophies and European competition.

"If he had gone to Barcelona it would have been very good because it would have allowed them to resolve that problem and would have taken away a great player from Real Madrid. But you have to say that the player remained firm and decisive in not going to another club that wasn't Real Madrid. He rejected them and that is certain."