Cristiano Ronaldo has finally ended speculation about his future by insisting that he will stay at Manchester United for at least another season. Having made no secret of his desire to join Real Madrid this summer, Ronaldo will return to Manchester tomorrow after conceding defeat in his efforts to force a move to the Spanish champions.

Sir Alex Ferguson said after a meeting with Ronaldo in Lisbon three weeks ago that the Portugal forward would remain at Old Trafford, but the United manager could not hide his relief last night upon hearing that the player had drawn a line under the summer’s most frenzied transfer saga, even if he did reiterate his desire to play for Real “one day”.

In an interview with Público, the Portuguese newspaper, Ronaldo said: “Yes, I am going to stay at Manchester United. I will stay for at least this season. Ferguson heard my reasons, I heard his and indeed we had an agreement that the best for both parties would be if I stay.” Having been ruled out until October after surgery on his ankle, Ronaldo was due to have the injury assessed today by Niek van Dijk, a surgeon at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, before returning to Manchester, where he will step up his rehabilitation.

While Ronaldo, 23, is expected to receive a warm welcome from his United team-mates, several of whom he has been in regular touch with, it remains to be seen how the Portuguese is received by the club’s supporters. Many have expressed outrage at the player’s attempts to broker a move to the Bernabéu.

Now there are TWO ways to feed your fantasy

We have built on last year's success of PlayTheGame by offering fantasy football managers double the fun this coming season

Multimedia

• Chelsea: On-the-job training

• Man United: You've been merked, Capello

• Reading: Is Lita's yesterday's man?

Related Links

• Ferguson happy to lay out the red carpet

• Rooney virus lays United low

• Real step up Ronaldo chase after injury blow

Multimedia

• Ronaldo: what do you think of him now?

Ferguson tried to defuse a potential revolt by claiming that it was easy for a young player to have his head turned by the offer of vast riches in the face of such brazen courting from Real, but Ronaldo refused to blame anyone but himself for the situation and emphasised that United would have the same committed player next season who scored 42 goals last term.

“There were rumours that I would stay against my will, but I want to clear something up right now — who says or writes that is lying,” Ronaldo said. “I will play for Manchester with my heart and soul. I will fight and honour that shirt with all the commitment and dedication that I always have.

“I want to say that I was the one responsible for all this controversy. It wasn’t [Real's] fault because I was the one that showed in public my will to move to Real Madrid.

“I also ended up being, even if it wasn’t my will, the one responsible for the problems between the two clubs.” Regardless of his desire to make peace with the Old Trafford faithful, however, United’s supporters will be perturbed to hear Ronaldo reiterate his wish to play for Real in the future.

“I knew that Real Madrid was interested in signing me and that they allegedly made a very high bid,” he said. “For a while, my desire was that Manchester accepted Real Madrid’s bid and to say the opposite would be cheating people and my own conscience. But I do want to go there one day and my ambition to play there remains the same.”

Ferguson has hinted that he may not sign anyone this summer, despite the fact that he seems certain to start the season without at least seven senior players. With Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, who has a virus, both out, Carlos Tévez is the club’s only established fit forward, but Ferguson cast doubt on the prospect of making an improved bid for Dimitar Berbatov, the Tottenham Hotspur striker.

Nani became the latest player to fall victim to United’s injury jinx after missing the 0-0 friendly draw at home to Juventus last night with a calf strain, but Ferguson is hopeful of having the winger fit for the FA Community Shield against Portsmouth at Wembley on Sunday.

Classic Times Fantasy Football is back. Sign up for £3 a team or 3 for £6