THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo underwent right ankle surgery Monday morning at a hospital in Amsterdam.
"The surgery went well and he is expected to go home tomorrow," hospital spokesman Johan Kortenray told The Associated Press.
He declined to give further details of the operation or when Ronaldo would be fit to return to training, but said Manchester United would likely release a statement later Monday.
The 23-year-old Portuguese revealed after last month’s European Championship that he had been playing in pain for the last three months. He arrived at the Academic Medical Center on Sunday night to see surgeon Niek van Dijk.
Ronaldo scored 42 goals for the Red Devils last season as he powered them to triumphs in the Premier League and Champions League. But Portugal was ousted in the quarter-finals at Euro 2008.
The ankle surgery comes as speculation continues about a possible move to Real Madrid for Ronaldo. Madrid president Ramon Calderon said Sunday he is ready to begin transfer talks with Manchester United, but is not confident about signing the winger even if Manchester United consents.
While Ronaldo has stoked up the possibility of moving to the Spanish champion, no transfer request has been submitted and United has vowed to retain the player.
"Theoretically there is still time as there are two months before the end of August if Manchester United gets in touch with Real Madrid and makes an offer," Calderon told reporters on Sunday. "But we don’t know if it would be feasible once a sale is proposed."