Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United departed for their pre-season tour of South Africa with the future of the absent Cristiano Ronaldo still casting its long shadow.

Meanwhile, the club’s owners, the Glazer family have been surprised to read a statement in a Spanish sports daily that they had sanctioned the opening of negotiations over Ronaldo’s proposed £68million transfer to the Bernabeu on the grounds that his value could only decrease.

While it is true that Ronaldo’s value will never be higher than it is this summer, a spokesman for the Glazer family described the report as “complete nonsense”, adding that at no time had they been contacted by Real Madrid.

When Madrid’s interest first surfaced following the European Cup final, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the Glazers had told him they would rather sit Ronaldo in the stand than let him go. “They have got balls,”Ferguson remarked at the time.

The popular perception is that as United marshal resistance to the demands of Real Madrid and Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, who stands to make around £7million if the transfer is successful, the Glazers who might welcome a £68million addition to club funds are the weak link. However, they point out that any negotiations would be conducted through United chief executive David Gill.

While the departure to Portugal of Ferguson’s assistant, Carlos Queiroz, who enjoys a close relationship with Ronaldo, has weakened United’s position, some within the Bernabeu on Wednesday expressed doubts as to what the player’s arrival might do for dressing-room relationships.

Reports of what salary Ronaldo might expect at Madrid have varied wildly, but it is clear it will be more than the £4.75million a year paid to old galacticos such as David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

Madrid midfielder Wesley Sneijder said: “It would be bad for the dressing room if he gets a much higher salary than the rest of the squad. It is not important to me, but I know that other teammates would not like that at all.

“We have similar footballers to Ronaldo, such as Arjen Robben and Robinho. It is obvious that I want to play alongside Cristiano, but you also have to maintain the equilibrium of the dressing room.”

Sneijder said he doubted whether the Spanish champions needed Ronaldo as a player— let alone all the financial baggage that might accompany him. It was far more important, he said, for the club to prevent Robinho’s departure to Chelsea.

“For me, this side does not need new signings,” Sneijder said. “The squad is strong enough and this season I believe we can do more.

“What we do need is a striker and I hope Robinho stays at Madrid because I think he is equal to Cristiano.”