Ronaldo relishing challenge that waits

TRANSFER NEWS: CRISTIANO RONALDO is ready for his proposed €94 million move to Real Madrid to make him an object of hate – and feels he will thrive under the insults. The Portugal winger is set to seal his switch to the Spanish giants by the end of June after Manchester United accepted a world record bid.

And the 24-year-old wants to “rewrite the history of football” when he lines up alongside the likes of fellow Madrid new boy and prospective team-mate Kaka.

He said in an interview with French magazine So Footas reported in the News of the World: "I love it when people jeer me. I love to see the hate in their eyes, to hear the insults. It doesn't bother me. It's true lots of people hate me but there are even more who love me and who support me. I feel bad only when I play badly. Fortunately, that happens rarely."

He added: “I still have a long way to go. I really want to rewrite the history of football. I am aware I’m already among the best of the best but I want to continue to write many more beautiful pages.”

Ronaldo was eclipsed by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in last month’s Champions League final in Rome, the Argentinian scoring the Catalans’ second with a fine header of which Ronaldo himself would have been proud.

The pair’s rivalry will intensify in La Liga next season should Ronaldo’s move go through, with Madrid and Barcelona bitter rivals, but the Portuguese is not interested in comparing himself to Messi.

He said: “I have nothing to envy Lionel for. I don’t compare myself to others. I am Cristiano Ronaldo – and I can win more medals than anybody else. I don’t like to relax. The fans want to see a great Cristiano Ronaldo so I try to never disappoint.”

United’s acceptance of Madrid’s offer earlier this week brought an end to one of the longest-running transfer sagas of recent years. And Alex Ferguson believes the Premier League champions did well to keep Ronaldo at Old Trafford for as long as they did.

“He wanted to leave, it’s as simple as that,” said Ferguson. “He was going to go some time. We’ve done well to keep him for so long.”

Ronaldo’s desire to leave has provoked anger among sections of United fans, who feel the club helped him become the player he is after signing him from Sporting Lisbon six years ago. But former United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, a former Madrid manager who also knows Ronaldo from his current post as Portugal coach, believes his loyalty cannot be questioned.

"When you talk about loyalty, you must understand the loyalty has two directions," Queiroz, who enjoyed two spells as Ferguson's number two, told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweekprogramme.

“In terms of the modern game, loyalty is to be a great professional, to be committed to the club, to be engaged with the coach and the vision of the club and nobody can put one thing against Cristiano because as a professional he’s brilliant.

“But as you know with 95 per cent or 96 per cent of movement in football it is the managers at the clubs that dictate the movements.”

A former Madrid great has warned the winger, though, that he will have to come to terms with being just another player at the Bernabeu. Zinedine Zidane moved from Juventus to Madrid for a then world record fee in 2001.

He said: “Despite the vast amount of money available in his transfer to Real Madrid, Ronaldo will have to come to terms with being just another star at the club.

“With the arrival of Brazilian Kaka and more expected to follow under returning president Florentino Perez, he cannot expect to take centre stage at a club like Real Madrid. Besides, while the supporters love to embrace superstar players, collective success is far more important to them than that of any individual.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic insists he is staying at Old Trafford. The no-nonsense centre back has been linked with a move away from the Premier League champions.

With Ronaldo set to complete his move to Real, the loss of the another influential player would have proved a real blow for Ferguson. But Vidic said: “I am very happy here and next season we will start again. I have got no desire to go anywhere.”

Also determined to extent his stay at Old Trafford if club captain Gary Neville despite increased competition for first-team football. The England international has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons and has seen his opportunities limited.

Neville has been linked with a shock move away from Old Trafford, with Middlesbrough considering a bid for his services, but the veteran is keen to stay with the Premier League champions.

“I played a good number of games last season,” he said and I hope that continues next season because playing for this club is as special to me now as it was when I first pulled on the shirt as a schoolboy.”