BEIJING, Aug. 4 -- Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster believes the Spanish champion can still win its battle to sign Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo. Real has made it clear it is willing to pay a world record transfer fee to bring Ronaldo to the Bernabeu, but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is adamant the Portugal winger won't be sold at any price.
Ronaldo, currently recovering from ankle surgery, has spent most of the close-season hinting that he would be happy to join Madrid if a deal could be agreed and it appears he could still get his wish.
After his side's 2-1 friendly win over Hamburg at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Schuster admitted Real has not given up hope of landing Ronaldo.
"I think the club is working hard to get a solution to this matter. We will have to see," Schuster said. "We knew it would be a complicated matter. It was not going to be easy for Cristiano Ronaldo to come to Real Madrid.
"He would be a great player for any coach. Of course if you ask any coach in the world if they want Cristiano Ronaldo they would say yes."
If Real do eventually land Ronaldo it could clear the way for Robinho to join Chelsea, which has admitted its interest in the Brazil winger.
But Schuster, who insisted Real is yet to complete a deal for Hamburg's Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, made it clear he wants to keep Robinho.
"A lot of teams are interested in buying him but I think he knows he is a very important player in our project," Schuster said. "He is fundamental in our team and we have never thought about letting him go."
Van der Vaart was left out of the Hamburg line-up for the friendly while negotiations continued.
Hamburg is willing to sell the Holland midfielder if Real meets its 10 million euros valuation.