Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to start life as a Real Madrid player next week after the Spanish giants finalised his world record transfer from Manchester United.

Just over two weeks after United confirmed they had accepted an £80million bid from Madrid for the Portuguese winger, both clubs announced last night that they had put the finishing touches on his switch to the Bernabeu.

Although there was no reference to an agreement over personal terms with Ronaldo, Madrid, who have been in talks with the player's representatives for the last fortnight, said that the 24-year-old's contract will run until 2015 and that he will be presented at the start of next month. Reports in the Spanish media claim the former Sporting Lisbon player will be paid around 13million euros a year.

The player [Ronaldo] will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons and will be presented on 6 July at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid's official website announces Ronaldo's move.

A statement on Real Madrid's official website last night read: "Real Madrid and Manchester United have signed a final agreement for the transfer of the rights of Cristiano Ronaldo from 1 July. The player will be tied to Real Madrid for the next six seasons and will be presented on 6 July at the Santiago Bernabeu."

United said on their website: "Cristiano Ronaldo's departure is all but done and dusted after Real Madrid and Manchester United finalised the agreement for his transfer on Friday evening.

"The Portuguese winger was the subject of a world record £80million offer from the Spanish club on Thursday 11 June. He has since been on holiday but a return to work with new employers now beckons, with the sale set to be completed on Wednesday 1 July."

The deal for Ronaldo means Madrid will break the world record transfer fee for the fourth time - all of which were sanctioned by Madrid president Florentino Perez. During Perez's first tenure in the position, from 2000-2006, Madrid signed Luis Figo from Barcelona for £37million in 2000 and then a year later brought in Zinedine Zidane from Juventus for £46million.

Just one week after returning to the Real Madrid presidency, at the start of this month, Perez captured the signing of Brazilian ace Kaka from AC Milan for a fee reportedly in the region of £59million. Perez and Madrid have now smashed all of those price tags though by bringing Ronaldo, the FIFA World Player of the Year 2008, to Spain.