Ronaldo won't get new contract at Manchester United

Manchester (England): Manchester United has told Cristiano Ronaldo there will be no new contract with a pay rise to match any offer from Real Madrid, and that he must start displaying ''commitment and loyalty".

But the winger again refused to commit his future to the Red Devils, having spent the summer making no secret of his desire to join the Spanish champion,

United chief executive David Gill believes that could have been a tactic to command a higher salary at Old Trafford.

''Possibly, but not necessarily,'' Gill said. ''And if the figures bandied around that Real Madrid are talking about are true, we wouldn't go anywhere near that. That would be lunacy.''

Such was United's anger at Madrid's pursuit of Ronaldo that manager Alex Ferguson made an unsuccessful complaint to FIFA while his star was at the European Championship.

But before taking United on a tour of South Africa, Ferguson flew to Portugal last week to meet with Ronaldo for the first time since the aftermath of May's Champions League triumph.

It prompted the Scot to state his confidence that Ronaldo would stay, but the player continued to fuel talk of a transfer while vacationing in California.

''What do you want me to say? That I'm going or I'm staying?'' Ronaldo was quoted as saying by ESPN. ''I don't know about the future, only God knows it. I can't say any more."

''Great players are always hounded by great clubs. It's a normal situation.''

Ronaldo, who is sidelined until at least October after ankle surgery, was ambiguous about his future.

''Am I motivated to continue at United? I am always motivated,'' he said. ''I am ambitious and I want to always improve. I don't know the future.''

Gill accepts there are ''some issues'' to be resolved between Ferguson and the 23-year-old Portuguese.

But he said Ronaldo must remain on the contract worth 120,000 pounds ($240,000) a week, which has almost four years remaining on it.

''He only entered into the previous contract 18 months before and in terms of where he's at in our wage hierarchy he's doing pretty well,'' Gill said. ''The player is under contract so the strength and the rights are with Manchester United.''

The April 2007 contract was Ronaldo's third since joining from Sporting Lisbon in 2003.

''With that, we believe, go some responsibilities and obligations,'' Gill said. ''There was an increased salary and we clearly feel there has to be some commitment and loyalty and he can't just say, 'I've entered into it, but I'll leave a year down the line,' especially after the season we've just had."

''It's a two-way street and contracts are entered into with a view to getting that kind of commitment.''

Gill said that if United was publicly listed, rather than being privately owned by the American Glazer family, pressure from shareholders could have seen the club cash in on Ronaldo.

The Red Devils won the English league title and the Champions League in May, but defender Rio Ferdinand believes the team's double feat has been overshadowed by Ronaldo, who contributed 42 goals last season.

''This summer, given the season we've just had, should have been a time to think about our achievements,'' Ferdinand said. ''In the end that became impossible because of the stuff going on with Cristiano."

''The players can't wait to see him back. There won't be any problems between Cristiano and the rest of the squad because we have always stood by what Sir Alex Ferguson has said all along, Cristiano will be a United player next season.''