Ferguson: Ronaldo Will Stay at Manchester United

The 23-year-old Portugal winger is currently recuperating from surgery earlier this month on his injured right ankle.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo would not be leaving the Premier League champions.

"I can say that he (Ronaldo) will be a Manchester United player next year, we won't be selling him," Ferguson told reporters at a news conference in Cape Town.

The 23-year-old Portugal winger, who has been linked with a controversial move to Real Madrid, is currently recuperating from surgery earlier this month on his injured right ankle.

"The boy will be out for three months -- he'll be on crutches for the first four weeks, followed by four weeks of rehabilitation and then four weeks of training," said Ferguson.

"Our responsibility is to make sure the player is 100 percent when he comes back."

European champions United are in South Africa to play a three-match exhibition series against Johannesburg-based clubs Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in three matches.

They face the Chiefs in Cape Town on July 19 and the Pirates in Durban on July 22 before playing the winners of the Soweto derby between the two local clubs on July 26 in Pretoria.