Manchester United have confirmed that the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid has been completed and that £18m of the £80m received has been spent on the capture of Wigan Athletic’s Ecuador international Antonio Valencia. The transactions leave Sir Alex Ferguson with £62m in the bank to continue his summer rebuild with speculation mounting that a deal for Lyon’s Karim Benzema could be completed in the coming weeks.
Speaking about the sale of Ronaldo to Real, Ferguson told United’s official website.
“Cristiano has been a marvellous player for Manchester United. His six years at Old Trafford have seen him develop into the best footballer in the world.
"His contribution has been a major factor in the club’s success in that time and his talent, his ability to entertain and his infectious personality have enthralled fans the world over.
“Everyone here wishes him well in his future career.”
Looking to the future, the legendary Scottish coach welcomed 23-year-old Valencia, praising his qualities and likely future role as a Red Devil.
“Antonio is a player we have admired for some time now, having spent the last two years in the Premier League with Wigan. I am sure his pace and ability will make a significant contribution to the team.”