United have finally agreed to part company with their top scorer and struck an £80m deal for his services.

Ronaldo has long been a target for the Spanish giants, whose president Florentino Perez vowed earlier this week to do "everything possible" to take the 24-year-old to the Bernabeu.

A statement on United's official website on Thursday morning, under the headline 'Reds accept £80m Ronaldo bid', read: "Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80m for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid."

The statement continued: "At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

"Matters are expected to be concluded by 30th June. The club will not comment until further notice."

Ronaldo has had a massive impact at Manchester United scoring 84 goals in 157 Premier League starts since signing from Sporting Lisbon for £12.2m in 2003. His spectacular strikes, sublime skills and close control have made him a firm fans' favourite and won him a string of personal and club honours.

In November and December 2006, Ronaldo received consecutive Barclays Player of the Month honours, becoming only the third player in Premier League history to do so after Dennis Bergkamp in 1997 and Robbie Fowler in 1996.

He won the World and European Footballer of the Year awards for 2008 after scoring 42 goals in all competitions in the 2007/08 campaign when he headed United in front in the Champions League final against Chelsea, a tie the Red Devils eventually won on penalties.

Ronaldo's blistering form played a major part in United winning a hat-trick of Premier League titles, the most recent coming in 2009.

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