Ryan Giggs On Cristiano Ronaldo: He was better two seasons ago

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs made his opinion that Cristiano Ronaldo was a better all-round player 18 months ago and not last season when Sir Alex Ferguson's men won the double.

The Portuguese has mostly won every individual award going - including the Ballon d'Or - for his performances in 2007-08, when he scored 42 goal in all competitions, as United lifted the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

The season before, Ronaldo scored 23 goals in total, still an impressive feat, but nothing compared to what he achieved 12 months later.

However, Giggs believes the 2006-07 season was Ronaldo's most best, and said: "That season Ronaldo was unbelievable.

"He scored 23 goals and made a lot, his overall play was unbelievable.

"Last year, in 2007-08, I didn't think he was as good. But he did turn himself into an even greater goalscorer.

"He's dedicated in every part of his lifestyle and the people he has around him. He has his diet, the way he looks after himself.

"He goes to the gym. He leads his life for football. He plays every game so he has got to be like that."

It is this dedication to his sport that mas made Ronaldo the world's best player and, as a result, attracted the unwanted interest from Real Madrid.

Only yesterday, reports in Spain suggested that Real have an agreement with United to sign Ronaldo next summer, though, allegedly, the clubs had not planned to go public over the deal until the New Year.

El Mundo newspaper quoted Pedro Trapote, who they claim is an associate of Real President Ramón Calderón, as saying: "If you are asking me what we are going to do now then I would tell you that we have already signed the best player for the summer.

"The best of the best. It is Cristiano, there is no other. It is better that we do not say anything at the moment though."

“Why can you not say anything. It is the best time because things are going badly and people need something to excite them in the middle of all this,” suggested the reporter.

“No,” replied Trapote. “It is best to not say anything because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it now. We talks about that late.