Ronaldo fuels rumors with Real admission

(CNN) -- Manchester United face a renewed bid for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid after the Portugal star admitted that he wants to join the Spanish champions.

Real had been backing off their attempt to sign the 22-year-old winger, deemed by many to be the best player in the world, after United accused the big-spending club of illegal and immoral tactics in "tapping him up."

However, Ronaldo's admission that he would like to move to the Santiago Bernabeu if Real met the promised wage and transfer fee conditions that had been bandied about in the Spanish media has given the long-running saga new momentum.

Madrid chairman Ramon Calderon had said Ronaldo's signing "seems impossible" but the player's comments to a Brazilian newspaper, released on its Web site on Thursday, have given Real hope and will no doubt anger United even more.

"I would like to play for Real Madrid -- but only if it is true they are ready to spend with me and with Manchester United the amount they are saying they are. However, it does not depend on me."

Calderon made his delight known, telling Spanish newspaper AS: "For Madrid it is an honor to know that a player like him thinks that playing at Real Madrid would be good. We are proud to know that he would like to be with us."

Ronaldo had promised to make a statement about his future before the Euro 2008 finals began, but now he insists he will make no further comments until after the tournament.

"It's important to a send a message. From today, I'm not going to talk about this topic with anyone at all," he said. "I'll only talk about this again after the European Championships. Don't ask me any questions, because I won't answer."

Portugal open their Group A campaign against Turkey in Geneva on Saturday, with Ronaldo hoping to maintain the form that saw him score 42 goals for Champions League winners United last season.

Ronaldo's former United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy would love to have a reunion at Real.

"He'd be an important signing for Madrid, because this is a club which signs the best players in the world -- and that's what Cristiano is," the Dutch striker told Spanish daily paper Marca.

"Cristiano could bring a lot of things to this club. He's young, he has everything and a long sporting career ahead of him. For Madrid, he would be a great signing."

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