Manchester United have accepted a world-record £80 million bid from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese winger has long been a target for the Spanish soccer 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 www.manutd.com - under the headline "Reds accept £80m Ronaldo bid" - said: "Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80 million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid."
It went on: "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 June 30. The club will not comment until further notice."
The news is bound to be greeted with some scepticism by United fans who have repeatedly been told no deal had been agreed for the sale of Fifa's world player of the year in the face of regular statements on the move from officials at the Bernabeu.
It was even suggested Ronaldo would be due a £20 million compensation fee from Real if the deal did not go through by June 30.
As it now seems a matter of when, rather than if a world record transfer will be completed, Sir Alex Ferguson might wish to explain why he has gone back on his famous comment in December last year that he would not "sell that mob a virus".
