(From the department of obvious titles) Should he stay or should he go?

All about Ronaldo today. All these constant stories are getting a bit tiresome and it will be something of a relief when he just says he is staying, which I have absolutely no doubt that he will.

That announcement shouldn't be long in coming according to the papers (quoting Ronaldo), from The Guardian:

Speaking to Portuguese journalists, Ronaldo, who has encouraged speculation on his future by giving conflicting messages to the English and Spanish media, said: "Let's see, I hope there will be news soon. In two to three days I will announce my decision."

The Independent has a quote from Scolari advising Ronaldo to move:

"I have told him that in football you cannot live on memories," he said. "You have to take the opportunities when they come along because perhaps they will not come again in your lifetime." Scolari also said the speculation about his future had not affected Ronaldo's preparations for Euro 2008. He added: "He is quite calm about his future. He is working very hard like just another member of the squad."

The Times have a rather pessimistic view of the whole thing (from a Man Utd perspective anyway):

Speaking after Portugal’s 2-0 win over Georgia in a friendly match on Saturday, Ronaldo was asked whether he would soon be in a position to clarify his future. He said: “I hope so, yes.” When he was asked when that might be, he replied: “Shortly, in the next two or three days, I hope.” The answers look innocuous, but they are in keeping with a mysterious time-table to which Ronaldo alluded after United’s Champions League triumph in Moscow on May 21, saying that he would make an announcement on his future in two weeks. This would be encouraging if Ronaldo was in discussions over a new contract, but no such negotiations are planned, given that he signed a new five-year, £120,000-a-week deal in April 2007. United hope that he will announce he is staying at Old Trafford, but they have had no such assurances, even though Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz, his assistant, have tried to warn him of the perils of moving to Spain.

The Mail goes for the populist approach by quoting David Beckham's view on the subject:

The England captain said: “Real are one of the great clubs but he’s at the right club at the moment and should stay there. People there will protect him and as a United fan I hope he stays.”

I prefer to remember Ronaldo's words on the pitch straight after the Champions League final to the effect that he was definitely staying. End of story. Hopefully.