Ronaldo to extend Manchester United deal to 2010

Picture dated March 2005 shows Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo at a training session in Braga, northern Portugal. Ronaldo was expected to sign a new contract keeping him at Manchester United to 2010.

Cristiano Ronaldo was expected to sign a new contract keeping him at Manchester United to 2010.

Manager Alex Ferguson has told Portuguese reporters at a pre-season training camp in southern Portugal a new five-year package was offered to the winger as reward for his progress at United since joining from Sporting Lisbon.

Despite speculation concerning possible interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, Ronaldo is happy to remain at Old Trafford after being granted a pay increase.

"Manchester United chief executive David Gill will arrive Thursday to sign the agreement that has been reached with Cristiano Ronaldo which will extend the actual contract until 2010," Ferguson told the Correio da Manha daily.

Ferguson gave no financial details of the improved deal.

"The numbers have been agreed by both sides for a while now, all that was needed was putting a signature on paper, which will only happen now because Ronaldo was at the disposal of the Portuguese national team, then he went on holiday," he said.

Real and Barcelona had reportedly been preparing 20 million bids for the 20-year-old who signed for United for 12 million pounds in August 2003.

But Ferguson never had any doubt that Ronaldo would commit his future to The Red Devils. The announcement will be welcome news for the club after the stormy scenes of protest that greeted the Glazers' arrival in Manchester on Wednesday.

Ronaldo made 40 appearances for the English club last season scoring nine goals.

Ferguson sees him as part of his new brood along with Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea which he hopes will recapture the glory days