LONDON - MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson says Cristiano Ronaldo's long-standing desire to leave the club was the biggest reason for his record-breaking move to Real Madrid.

The two clubs expect to complete the 80-million pound (S$190 million) transfer before the end of June, a year after United had successfully fended off an earlier high-profile bid by Madrid for the Portugal winger.

'He wanted to leave, it is as simple as that,' Ferguson told British weekly the Mail on Sunday. 'He was going to go some time.

We've done well to keep him for so long.'

Ronaldo, Fifa's World Player of the Year, was signed for 12 million pounds from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 as an 18-year-old talent.

If the Madrid deal goes through, Ronaldo will be the second high-profile signing following Florentino Perez's recent return as club president, having already splashed out US$92 million (S$133.5 million) on bringing Brazil playmaker Kaka from AC Milan. -- AP