After all the weeks and months of conjecture, rumour and flirtations, the £80m deal which will take Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United to Real Madrid on an initial £9.5m annual salary was tied up in just two hours, it was revealed last night.

Without the slightest ceremony — not even an advance telephone call —Real Madrid president Florentino Perez faxed United's chief executive David Gill at Old Trafford at around 6pm on Wednesday evening, where staff immediately contacted him to make him aware of the astonishing document which lay before them.

Gill was making his way to Uefa's offices in Geneva, Switzerland, where he attended a meeting yesterday.

His first and immediate telephone call was to Sir Alex Ferguson, holidaying in the south of France, his second was to the Glazer family, the third to Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes to ensure the player actually wanted the six-year deal, and by mid-evening the world's most expensive transfer deal had been concluded. The £80m — payable in one lump sum — will be Ferguson's to spend as he wishes.

The instantaneous decision Ferguson came to on Wednesday illustrates that he instinctively knew that Ronaldo was lost to him and another summer of persuasion was pointless.

Though Gill was at pains to reinforce again yesterday that suggestions of a deal having been put in place between Real and United months ago were "complete nonsense", it is quite possible Ferguson and Ronaldo reached an informal agreement last summer. Only the two of them may know.

The money being offered by Real Madrid simply takes Ronaldo into another stratosphere.

The £9.5m figure is expected to rise by an increment of 25 per cent each year — to offset a non-domicile tax of that percentage of his income over that time. Ronaldo's salary will include his 40 per cent cut of revenues generated from his image rights.

His annual salary will grow to around £12m in 2010/11, £18.5m by the fourth year and £28.9m by the sixth and final year of the deal.

This means that he could earn over £106m across the course of the six years. The player is expected to begin detailed conversations with the Spaniards today and is said to be keen that he, rather than his agent should have the final say.

Portuguese sources suggested last night that he does not want to cut short his holiday, as Madrid have asked but when he returns he will certainly have plenty to discuss.