‘I’m looking forward to historic deal,’ says Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo, 24, is expected to sign a six-year contract before being formally confirmed as a Real player on July 1. His salary will start at £9.5 million a year, rising 25 per cent annually to a staggering £29 million - or just over £557,500 a week - in the final year. He stands to earn up to £107 million.

Real’s outlay on Ronaldo and Kak?, who joined for £56 million this week, could total £330 million, with the club paying more than £1m a week in wages for the pair come the 2014-2015 season.

Kaka, who joined Real from AC Milan this week for about £56 million, hailed the move. “I rejoice in the signing of Cristiano,” he said. There’s no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world and he will help Real Madrid fight for every title next season.”

Ronaldo could make his Real debut in Dublin next month. His new side report for training on July 10 and travel to the Irish capital three days later. They will stay until July 22 and a friendly has been scheduled, though details of Real’s opponents are yet to be confirmed. Real will then compete in the Peace Cup in Spain, where their opponents include Aston Villa, before heading to North America for fixtures with Toronto FC and DC United.

Meanwhile, Ramon Calderon, the former Real Madrid president, claims a “gentleman’s agreement” existed over the signing of Ronaldo before he left the club in January.

Yesterday’s bid came less than two weeks after Florentino Perez returned as Calderon’s replacement.

With the signings of Ronaldo and Kaka, Perez has been credited with immediately instilling the Galacticos culture of his previous reign. Yet Calderon, who came close to signing Ronaldo last summer, insists he was responsible for much of the groundwork that led to the imminent move.

“We were in touch with the player. That is the important thing to know now,” Calderon said. “As far as I knew, he got the agreement with the club. He wanted to leave at the end of this season.

“That was what he agreed with the club and therefore it was easy, knowing that the player wanted to come to Real Madrid, to get a deal let’s say. We agreed everything and he decided to come.”

Calderon added: “Let’s say it was a gentleman’s agreement in order not to bother Manchester last season, because [United manager, Sir Alex] Ferguson also wanted to keep the player.

“For this reason we decided to wait until this season and that is what has happened.”

Calderon’s announcement flies in the face of the public dispute United and Real fought over the past two years with both clubs offering claim and counter claim as to Ronaldo’s future.

Even the player himself constantly denied he was moving, even though he said it was his “dream” to one day play for Real.

Only a few months ago, Ferguson insisted he “wouldn’t sell that mob a virus”.

The United manager now faces a fight to stop further departues from his star-studded side.

Carlos Tevez has continued to express his desire to leave Old Trafford, despite a telephone call from his manager urging him to change his mind, while Nemanja Vidic is thought to be contemplating a move abroad as his wife is struggling to settle in Manchester.

Franck Ribery heads Ferguson’s list of targets but he is likely to baulk at the £64 million fee being asked by Bayern Munich for the France player.

Karim Benzema, the Lyons striker, has also long been on Ferguson’s radar but he would cost £43 million.