Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined after ankle surgery

Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined after ankle surgery Manchester United top winger Cristiano Ronaldo will likely miss the start of the football season, following a successful ankle surgery on Monday. Ronaldo underwent the surgery at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, with world-renowned surgeon Niek van Dijk, and will require at least a six-week recovery period. The Portuguese footballer needed the surgery for a while, but by his own request, it was postponed until after the Euro 2008. "He was diagnosed yesterday evening and the surgery on his right ankle is this morning and is still going on now," hospital spokesman Johan Kortenray was quoted.

Meanwhile Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon had the following to say about a possible Cristiano Ronaldo transfer to the club: "We have not had any discussions with Ronaldo because United said they don't want to sell and we don't want to be disrespectful to them. I don't know if he will play for Real Madrid next season. We will only do what United want to do with the player. We are very good friends with United and they have said many times that they don't want to sell the player so we can't do anything. If they say sometime that they would like to sell, we will be there and will ask." Despite the Cristiano Ronaldo surgery and the transfer rumours, the British online sportsbook Sportingbet still have Manchester United as the favourite team to win the Premiership with odds 11/10, followed by Chelsea at 2/1 and Arsenal at 5/1.

Published on 07/07/2008