When I saw the news ticker about Manchester United accepting the £80 million tag for Ronaldo, there was really no surprise, just a fatalistic acceptance that this was always going to happen.

What followed were mixed feelings, Of course. We'll miss him terribly at Old Trafford. At the end of the day he's one of the few players currently capable of dominating a game - in whatever way. Ronaldo has been the rapier and the battering ram rolled into one as far as United's attacking capability goes.

But as any discerning fan will recognize, Ronaldo the star, circa 2008-9 was a very different player from Ronaldo the team player, circa 2006-2008. The former scored hatfuls of goals, but he also made many more. And most importantly he celebrated his goals with the team. Ronaldo, the 2008 model had become an individual player in the extreme. So all his brilliance was undermined by the continuous blasphemy of individualism in a collective effort.

Ronaldo didn't do a whole lot in last year's double header against Barcelona which we won, but in this time's final - he tried to do everything himself. You can see which worked better.

Anyhow, for all of that, he has been a United great. Not legend, but certainly a great player. His future at Madrid will no doubt be studded with some fantastic displays but I will hold my judgement on the number of trophies he might win there.

Sir Alex has also known about this and even last year, he would probably have told Ronaldo that he wanted to pick the time for Ronaldo's move and also find a replacement, rather than be bullied by Madrid. Losing Ronaldo and Tevez together will be a set back for him, as a manager who does not like major surgery to the team in preseason.

Plenty of theories are floating around about how United will implode, but again, both success and failure are overhyped by the media. The loss to Barcelona was chastening but not devastating. The loss to Liverpool was probably more instructive. Obviously, now it's all a matter of how the 80m is spent. And I think could work out very well.

A part of me actually thinks that this might be a good year to bank the money, buy some solid and useful players (Valencia + 1 midfield player), nick a couple of players from Madrid in exchange, take a top 3 finish this year, and wait for the silly season to subside. There will be no bargains this year with Chelsea, Man City and Madrid on the rampage. When at least 2 of the 3 fail next year, there might be quite a few opportunities available. Although with a couple of decent wingers and Rooney down the middle, I'd back United to get back to the top.

If United are able to flex financial muscle and yet be clever about it, sure, why not. But it would be folly to pay over the top money for half decent players. You can be your bottom dollar that there'll be a hundred articles about how United will be stuffed this year with only Berbatov and Rooney to depend on. But I'd wait till the season is half way through before writing anybody off!

This would be a good time to wait at Madrid's back door and pick up midfielders on the cheap - cut price rates for Robben, Sneijder, Van Der Vaart and Drenthe should all be available now.

Platini, to his credit has come out with a statement criticising Florentino Perez's policies but Sepp Blatter seems to be happy enough with the Madrid model of football, bless him.

My predictions for this year include a much stronger year for both Berbatov (who will get a full pre-season) and Rooney. And the moment of truth for Nani and Tosic, who will have to apparently fight Valencia for wing positions.

Meanwhile, here's my wishlist for Sir Alex, in case he's reading this:

*    Ribery: 30 m (not the 60m being quoted)
*    Benzema or Villa - 30m
*    Eto'o: 15m ( the steal of the season)
*    Valencia: 12-15 m
*    Raul Albiol: 10-12m

An unknown african player who will burst onto the scene and become the next Michael Essien wouldn't go amiss either!

Good reading

On the subject of Ronaldo, here are some of the best pieces I've read recently:
 
An (insider) view of Ronaldo's thinking & why he wants Madrid, and why he might come back some day, in The Telegraph

An excellent piece about Ronaldo's individualistic traits - in The Times

Why Ronaldo would be hard to replace - in The Guardian