Manchester United appear to be losing the battle to retain the services of Carlos Queiroz, Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant manager. Queiroz was close to accepting an offer last night to succeed Luiz Felipe Scolari as coach of the Portugal national team in a move that would be another blow to United’s prospects of keeping Cristiano Ronaldo from the clutches of Real Madrid.

United remained silent on the matter last night, but Queiroz, who held talks with Gilberto Madail, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, in Lisbon on Tuesday, is understood to be inclined to accept the four-year contract he has been offered. Sources in Lisbon indicated that Madail hoped to be in a position to confirm the appointment as early as today, although United still hope to persuade Queiroz to stay at Old Trafford and may be prepared to offer him an improvement in the terms of his 12-month rolling contract.

The departure of Queiroz would be another unwelcome jolt for United, barely a month after Ferguson endorsed the 55-year-old as a leading candidate to succeed him as manager in the next two or three years. It would leave Ferguson with the problem of having to look for a new assistant manager, but it could also have serious repercussions for United in their efforts to keep hold of Ronaldo.

Queiroz enjoys a close relationship with the Portugal international, who, having made clear his intention to move to Real Madrid and indicated that he is prepared to “upset” Ferguson and others at the club to get the move he wants, may feel that he has even less reason to stay at Old Trafford if the assistant manager leaves.

The frenzy over Ronaldo’s future may have died down over the past week, but, contrary to reports, the player remains determined to secure a transfer for what would be a world-record fee, likely to be far in excess of £60 million. Having spent the past week on holiday in Sardinia with his Spanish girlfriend, the 23-year-old returned to Portugal yesterday, telling reporters that “regarding my future, I cannot say anything”.

Ronaldo did confirm his intention to stay at his house in Sintra, near Lisbon, to convalesce after aggravating an injury to his right ankle while playing for Portugal in the European Championship finals last month. The injury was examined in Lisbon yesterday lunchtime by Steve McNally, United’s doctor — Ronaldo’s first meeting with any Old Trafford official since first articulating his desire to join Real a month ago — and a member of the Portuguese FA’s medical staff, but a United statement last night indicated that the assessment was inconclusive and that “further specialist advice” would be sought before it is decided whether he requires surgery.