Ferguson hails new signings

Manchester United unveiled new signings Cristiano Ronaldo and Kleberson at Old Trafford with Sir Alex Ferguson proclaiming: "We have signed two fantastic players."

Ferguson revealed that he had been tracking both players "for some considerable time" and believes they can help his quest for more European glory.

Ronaldo - full name Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos de Aveiro - has signed for £12.2m (€17m) from Sporting Lisbon.

Kleberson - whose full name is Jose Kleberson Pereira - arrives from Atletico Paranaense for £5.9m (€8.4m).

And Ferguson said: "I am delighted. In both cases it has been going on for not just a matter of weeks - it has been going for some considerable time.

"I had the framework of negotiations with Sporting Lisbon about nine months ago but there was a change when young Ronaldo showed an eagerness to join us immediately. He may have stayed at Lisbon for another year.

"We had to have conversations with Sporting Lisbon when he said that. The club were fantastic in those negotiations and we tried to get him here as quickly as possible."

Asked about the future at United with the new players, Ferguson said: "We have always tried to take a step forward. We have always tried to measure ourselves in terms of competition and where we want to go.

"European football is very important to us. We have done well but we have been a detail short and we want to win. That's why signings like this do encourage me."

Asked why Ronaldo had been given David Beckham's jersey, he said: "Ronaldo is young. Some famous players at this club have had the jersey - Cantona, Robson, Beckham in my time here. It wasn't a matter of who do we give the numbers even to. It was appropriate a young player like Ronaldo should take it."