Ronaldo will be out for at least 3 months following his ankle operation according to the Portuguese national team physiotherapist Antonio Gasper [source].

Gaspar confirmed that the winger is likely to be sidelined until October as was first suggested and posted in an earlier story.

Ronaldo will stay in Portugal for the next 4 weeks before returning to United to complete his rehabilitation.

This news will at least give us fantasy managers confidence that we can omit the United man from our initial lineups once and for all and think about a Plan B involving Ronaldo later in the season. I suspect the transfer saga with Real Madrid is not yet over but at least this confirmation gives us some clarity with regards his selection for now at least.

With Ferguson claiming that he will look to sign just one player and with the rumours surrounding Berbatov heating up, it would appear that the United boss will turn to existing players to fill the vast void left by Ronaldo’s absence. Nani is the obvious replacement and although he is suspended for the first two Premiership games, he should get starts from that point on. With that in mind he could certainly be worth considering. Fletcher, Park and of course Giggs will also be viable options for Ferguson. It will be interesting to see how United’s lineup shapes up pre-season with the Ronaldo injury now confirmed.