Thank you, Cristiano

So is this the end of Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Man Utd?  It certainly looks like it.  The club have accepted a world-record £80 million bid from Real Madrid for the Portugeuse winger's services, and all that remains is for Ronnie's representatives to bash out terms with the Madrid money-men.  In fact, they may have done so already: if the rumours that an agreement was reached last summer are true.

As Scott the Red puts it over at The Republik of Mancunia this is a decent bit of business for Utd.  But, obviously. there's more to losing one of the world's greatest players - one of the greatest players ever to play the game, surely - than the money involved.  Ronnie has given United a lot since he joined us in 2003: 291 appearances, 118 goals, and the driving impetus behind three league titles and one European Cup.  And even last season, when performances seemed a little muted, he still delivered some fantastic moments - just who could forget that performance against Arsenal in the away leg of the Champions League semi-final?

There will be sadness, and there will be recriminations, at Ronnie's departure.  But, for now, only one thing needs to be said: thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.