Exclusive: Cristiano Ronaldo could be out for eight weeks after op

CRISTIANO Ronaldo faces at least eight weeks out - and maybe more - after surgery on his damaged right ankle takes place within the next 48 hours.

And the bad news only got worse for Sir Alex Ferguson last night after it emerged that the Portuguese FA believe they have landed Old Trafford No.2 Carlos Queiroz as their new national manager. The

Manchester United boss, having barred Ronaldo's £70million exit to Real Madrid for at least a year, had believed that he could relax.

Instead he must confront the very real prospect that Ronaldo (right) could miss the first eight games of

United's Premier League defence, including the trips to Liverpool and Chelsea.

Reports from Portugal last night indicated that Ronaldo's injury is worse than was first thought. The injury, and the expected length of his absence, has taken the heat out of the Real Madrid affair.

But Queiroz's departure as Ferguson's right-hand man will cause a headache not only in who replaces him, but threatens a worrying spin-off.

Without Queiroz around the fear will be that any chance United had of keeping Ronaldo out of Real Madrid's clutches in the long term will be gone.

According to reports from his home country last night Queiroz is now preparing to take a £1m pay cut by replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari..