Real sets Aug. 8 deadline on Ronaldo pursuit

Real Madrid has set yet another time limit on its prolonged quest to try and pry Cristiano Ronaldo and is believed to be ready to give up on Aug. 8.

Los Merengues believe that the Portuguese star's return to Manchester next week will finally produce a decision one or the other as he is due to have talks with United.

Spanish daily AS reports that Madrid has a private agreement over personal terms with Ronaldo and now it must wait and see if the player will force his way out of Old Trafford.

The saga continued throughout the summer with the Spanish giants' quest, upsetting their Premier League peers, and the whole plan could still end with the player staying in England.

Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, is said to still be in regular contact with Madrid, but he will not state either way what wil be decided until United has had its say.

Real set an original deadline of July 7 that was then extended to July 17. Now now things are being extended into August with an outcome not looking any closer.

Sir Alex Ferguson returned from a meeting with the former Sporting star in Portugal and said he was confident that there would be no transfer while United's owners, the Glazer family, do not want to sell.

In Spain, Madrid president Ramón Calderón appears to have put all his hopes of recovering from failing to land either Kaká or Cesc Fàbregas on signing Ronaldo.

The media is slowly ensuring that other players are brought into the equation in case nothing happens with Rafael van der Vaart and now David Villa being linked to a move to the Bernabéu.