Cristiano Ronaldo has given a strong indication that he will be playing for Manchester United again next season. The Portuguese superstar, right, is continually linked with a £70m move to Real Madrid but says: ‘This is my home now. I think even when I say my heart is here, people are still going to speak and make things up. But this is where I want to play. We are part of an era that can go down in history for the way we are playing and the trophies we are winning. The boss believes in this team and so do I. And this is where I want to be.’ Ronaldo is preparing to play in Wednesday’s Champions League final against Barcelona. After winning the trophy with United a year ago, there was continual speculation that he would be joining the Spanish club, but in the end he remained at Old Trafford. Real have had a difficult season, with Barcelona taking their Spanish title, and they are expected to spend heavily in the next few months.

MOURINHO HAILS FERGUSON THE GREAT

Jose Mourinho says a Manchester United victory in Wednesday’s Champions League final will confirm Sir Alex Ferguson’s status as the greatest manager in club football, but insisted Chelsea should have provided the opposition rather than Barcelona. Mourinho, the manager of newly crowned Serie A champions Inter Milan, described Ferguson as a ‘super manager’ and United as a team with ‘absolutely everything’. Even so, he says his old team, Chelsea, should have been facing them in Rome after their controversial semi-final second leg exit to a last-minute Barça goal earlier this month. ‘Chelsea deserved the final,’ said Mourinho yesterday. ‘Were Barcelona lucky? Yes, but they kept their belief until the last second.’

CAPELLO’S INJURY CONCERN

Fabio Capello, the England coach, will name his squad tonight for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra, hoping his players suffer no more injuries before the two games that could all but confirm his side’s place in the 2010 finals. The Italian is already without Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, goalkeepers David James of Portsmouth and Ben Foster of Manchester United, Everton defender Phil Jagielka and Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing. He will be at Villa Park today to watch Newcastle’s relegation decider against Aston Villa.

YOUNG GUNNERS’ DATE WITH HISTORY

Arsenal could celebrate the 20th anniversary of the night Michael Thomas scored the last-gasp goal to win the league title at Anfield on Tuesday by lifting another trophy wearing the same kit as they did in 1989. The Gunners’ youth side will defend a 4-1 first-leg advantage in the FA Youth Cup final at Anfield, exactly 20 years after their first team won a legendary encounter 2-0. Steve Bould, Arsenal’s centre-back that night, is manager of the youth team. ‘We’re only halfway there,’ he said after Friday’s win in front of nearly 34,000 fans at the Emirates stadium.

On TV: 7.30pm, Tuesday, Setanta Sports 1, kick-off 7.45pm

EVRA: ARSENAL TRIED TO BOOT ME OUT OF FINAL

Patrice Evra has accused Cesc Fabregas and Arsenal of trying to kick him out of the Champions League final. Evra angered the Gunners by describing United’s semi-final victory at the Emirates as ‘men against babies’ and claims they came looking for revenge in last Sunday’s Premier League draw at Old Trafford. ‘The bad challenge was by Fabregas when he touched my knee,’ said Evra. Fabregas was booked for the challenge and Evra added: ‘I was angry. Okay, maybe they weren’t happy with what I said but the best way to react is to win on the pitch, not kick someone.’

NO QUESTION, TOM ATE ALL THE PIES

Tom Dickinson, a 22-year-old Bolton fan, is enjoying his first pie-free weekend in 10 months after a season-long tour of the 92 league grounds — and their catering facilities — ended at the Reebok stadium last Saturday. He began his odyssey in July in response to a pub challenge from a friend and hopes to publish a record of his experiences in a book entitled 92 Pies. Dickinson travelled to games in his second-hand Peugeot 206. ‘I calculated the mileage was greater than driving to Australia and back,’ he says. He wanted to finish his journey watching his favourite team and Bolton set aside 40 seats for Dickinson and his family to see their draw with Hull. So whose pies are best? ‘Morecambe’s,’ said Tom.

TALES OF THE TABS

David Beckham will join Chelsea in the January transfer window, says the Sunday Mirror. The paper says coach Carlo Ancelotti will leave Milan this week to take over at Stamford Bridge and is already lining up an audacious swoop for the former England captain. Manchester City are set to make a £21m bid for Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor, reports the News of the World. The paper also says that Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso wants to leave Liverpool and that former Everton manager Peter Reid is an adviser to an investment company hoping to buy the Goodison club. Manchester United and Chelsea are facing calls by the Norwegian FA for an investigation into John Mikel Obi’s controversial transfer to Stamford Bridge in May 2005 to be reopened, says the Mail on Sunday.