Cristiano Ronaldo has, via Jorge Mendes, his agent, reached a verbal agreement with Florentino Pérez, the former Real Madrid president, to join the Spanish club, according to reports in Spain. It is understood that Pérez will use this promise when he stands for election as Real president in 2010.

There is a growing conviction in Madrid that the Manchester United and Portugal forward will sign for the Spanish champions at some point, a view reiterated by Pepe, the Real defender who is a Portugal team-mate of Ronaldo. “He has shown he wants to come here with the statements he has made,” Pepe said. “We’ll see if he still desires to join us this summer.”

Real are also monitoring the situation with Carlos Tévez, whose contract with United expires in June. This indicates, though, that uncertainty reigns supreme at the Bernabéu and a rerun of last summer’s shenanigans over Ronaldo could be on the cards. In the short term, Real’s priority remains on the wing, with Antonio Valencia, of Wigan Athletic, and Ángel Di María, of Benfica, at the top of their list.

In the Bundesliga. Franck Ribéry, the Bayern Munich winger, admitted yesterday that he could leave before his contract expires in 2011. “I have a four-year contract, but it would be complicated for me to promise that I will see it out,” he said. “It’s important the club understand that it needs to be strengthened, with at least one good player in every area of the pitch.”

Lukas Podolski, the Germany striker, is set to make way for Ivica Olic, who will join Bayern in June. “It would have to be at least double figures,” Uli Hoeness, the Bayern general manager, said of Podolski’s value, but €10 million (about £9 million) would probably be too steep for Cologne, Podolski’s preferred option, which is why clubs in Spain, Italy and England have pricked up their ears.

Mark van Bommel, Bayern’s veteran midfield player who has often been linked with Arsenal, has been offered a one-year extension on his contract that runs out in June. “I’m going to decide at the end of January,” Van Bommel said. “But I can’t say I’m happy. A single year is not much, especially since I’m still 31.”

Hoffenheim have offered Vedad Ibisevic, the Bosnia striker, to a number of clubs, including Juventus, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, with the fee expected to be around £8 million.