Red Ronaldo

United signs teenage Portuguese forward

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Portuguese teenager Cristiano Ronaldo signed a five-year contract with Manchester United on Tuesday.

The club said it paid Sporting Lisbon 12.24 million pounds (US$19.7 million) for the 18-year-old forward.

"I am very happy to be signing for the best team in the world, and especially proud to be the first Portuguese player to join Manchester United," Ronaldo said. "I look forward to helping the team achieve even more success in the years to come."

Ronaldo appeared 25 times for Sporting last season and scored three goals.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said the club had been negotiating for several months with Sporting and closed the deal when other big European teams began to express interest.

"It was only through our association with Sporting that they honored our agreement of months ago," Ferguson said. "He is an extremely talented footballer, a two-footed attacker who can play anywhere up front: right, left or through the middle."

Ronaldo gave a dazzling performance last week in Sporting's 3-1 win over Man United, which Ferguson said sealed the deal.

"After we played Sporting last week the lads in the dressing room talked about him constantly, and on the plane back from the game they urged me to sign him. That's how highly they rated him. He is one of the most exciting young players I've ever seen."

Ronaldo was born in Funchal in the Madeira Islands where he started his career at Nacional before moving to Sporting. He made his debut for Sporting in Portuguese Super Liga 11 months ago at age 17.

In a statement on its Web site, Sporting said it has the first right to buy Ronaldo back if Man United decides to sell him. The club also said initial plans called for Ronaldo to move to United at the end of the season, but the player said he was "very keen" on moving now.

The sale sent up Sporting's share price 8 percent on the Lisbon stock exchange.

On Monday, the Red Devils obtained a work permit for Brazilian Kleberson. The midfielder from Sao Paulo's Atletico Paranaense is expected to cost about 6 million pounds (US$9.6 million).

United said it hoped to complete the deal by the end of the week.

 

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