MADRID, Spain — Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted he could leave the club once the season is over.

Ronaldo said this week he would consider his future after United plays Chelsea in the Champions League final - the club's final fixture of the season - in Moscow on May 21.

"I'm very happy here, but let's see what happens after the Champions League. I feel at home, this is my home. I've been here for five years and so I feel very happy here. But no one knows the future," he told Spanish TV station Antena 3.

"I have said a million times that I would like to play in Spain but one thing is to dream and another is for it to happen. I don't know the club. I'm not going to lie to you and I know other clubs like my style of play. It's very important for me but I'm very happy here."

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon had repeatedly stated his interest in signing the Portugal winger over recent months although conceding the move would be nearly impossible given the transfer fee that would be demanded by United, where he remains under contract for another four years.

The Spanish champion would almost certainly need to break the world's transfer record to sign the 23-year-old. The current record was set in 2001 when Madrid signed Zinedine Zidane from Juventus for US$65 million.

Madrid spokesman and general director, Miguel Angel Arroyo, said this week that the club could afford a large outlay on Ronaldo, and would even make money through increased marketing revenues.

Ronaldo, who joined United from Sporting Lisbon, has scored 41 league and cup goals for United this season, helping the Red Devils win the Premier League for the second straight season and reach its third final in Europe's top club competition.

Earlier this week, Ronaldo told United's TV channel MUTV that he was happy to stay at the club.


Source : The Canadian Press