Ferguson:
"This is what happens. It is a negotiation. We've had a couple of meetings with his agents and it is always the same with every contract you sign with a top player. We have ideas and they have ideas and, through negotiation, you come together and both parties are satisfied - not necessarily happy, but satisfied the deal is concluded and agreed.
"The great thing is that we have him [contracted] until 2010 so there is no desperation about it. It's an amicable arrangement in the sense that we said to Cristiano: 'We'd love you to sign another contract.' We spoke to his agents and they were happy. The boy was happy so we are trying to get to the final conclusion and get him signed for another two years, to 2012, which is the right thing for our club.
"He's been incredible all season, he's given his all in every game.
"The combination between Ronaldo and Rooney for the second goal was tremendous, the weight of the pass was perfect, but that's what he's all about. There's bound to be speculation about his future, we expect that and we know what Real Madrid and Barcelona are up to, but he's happy here and we are confident he will stay."
And an attack on clubs trying to turn Ronaldo's head:
"Let's be perfectly clear, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been doing this ever since I have been at this club.
"When the elections are on, the best player in the world is always used, there is no doubt about that.
"Cristiano is not silly enough not to realise he is being used as a pawn. They may be right, they may want him. But there is no doubt there is another motive to it and that is the elections."