Ronaldo no more on Real Madrid’s purchase list

LONDON - Ace striker Cristiano Ronaldo is officially off Real Madrid’s radar as his Manchester United received a welcome lift after their Champions League final defeat.

Florentino Perez, who will now be unopposed in Real’s presidential elections, yesterday briefed Spanish journalists that AC Milan’s Kaka has replaced Ronaldo as club’s No.1 summer target.

The news that Real are dropping their year-long pursuit of Ronaldo will come as a big relief to United, who returned yesterday from Rome after being beaten by Barcelona.

Ronaldo, however, is likely to have some explaining to do to manager Sir Alex Ferguson after his post-match outburst to a Portuguese radio station that United “had got their tactics wrong” in the final.

It followed his petulant reaction at being substituted in the Manchester derby earlier this month, the Daily Express reported.

Ferguson will also be unhappy that Ronaldo is again fuelling rumours that he wants a move by failing to nail his allegiance to United after Wednesday’s final.

As he turned his thoughts to Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against Albania a week from Saturday, he said: “About clubs, I do not want to talk about that. I don’t know. My [immediate] future is now with the national squad so we can win the game against Albania and improve our position in our qualifying group.”

“But I want to rest and go on holiday. I have played a lot of games under a lot of pressure this season and I am very tired.”

Zinedine Zidane, who will become Real’s sporting director when Perez takes over, has made it clear that he prefers France international Ribery, currently at Bayern Munich.

Perez is also ready to swoop for Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini as a successor to Juande Ramos. (ANI)