Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at Manchester United beyond next year.

Ronaldo, who returned to United's Carrington training ground this morning as he bids to recover from an ankle injury, has given up on his bid to move to Real Madrid this summer.

And despite the threat of another raid by Madrid for Ronaldo next summer, Ferguson insists that United are now firmly in control of the player's future.

He said: "The important thing is that we have ended all the stuff about Real Madrid and Real now know they are dealing with a different animal.

"As Cristiano gets older, he will appreciate being here more. That happens with players the longer they stay here and they don't want to leave.

"Cristiano will now settle down and enjoy his career here. Hopefully, at some point, we would like to extend his contract."

Ferguson also confirmed that striker Wayne Rooney has fought off the illness he picked up in Nigeria, but that his recovery has come too late for Sunday's Charity Shield clash with Portsmouth.

The United boss said: "He [Rooney] is doing much better, the medical reports are good and we feel that he's clear of the virus."