Ronaldo calls for Rooney at Real

Cristiano Ronaldo, the former Manchester United star and current World Player of the Year, would love to see old teammate Wayne Rooney, and one time adversary, at Real Madrid.

The Portuguese winger, who moved to the Spanish capital in the summer for a record £80 million fee, claimed that Rooney would be ideally suited to life at the Bernabeu, although Rooney has stated on a number of occasions he plans to be a United player for a long time yet.

David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy have also made the switch from Old Trafford in the past, although neither made such an immediate impression with Ronaldo scoring nine goals in seven appearances before injury recently sidelined him.

“Wayne would be a sensation out here,” said Ronaldo. “He would be brilliant if he came here. This is the ideal place for the world's best players and there's little doubt he is one of them.”

Ronaldo did confess that the probability of 24-year-old Rooney making the switch was slim, but was quick to point out that anything is possible in football.

“I realise it would take a lot for him to move from England. He loves the country, he loves Manchester and he is a Liverpool boy. And United is a good club for him. But you never know what could happen in the future.''

Rooney has taken on the mantle of United talisman from Ronaldo this season, and chipped in with another superbly taken goal against Blackburn yesterday.

It was Rooney’s eighth goal of the season, and earned him high praise from the Premier League’s greatest-ever goalscorer. Alan Shearer said: “It was a fantastic finish by Wayne. It is a difficult skill to sweep the ball like that – with his wrong foot – but he did it superbly and gave the keeper no chance.”

One more good reason why United would never consider selling Wayne Rooney. Mind you, didn’t they say that about Beckham, Van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo? Just a thought.