So . . . the inevitable has happened. We couldn't be sure when, or under what circumstances. We couldn't be sure who would be the one to sanction it. We couldn't even be sure how much for.
But Manchester United have finally accepted a world record offer of £80m from Real Madrid, and Cristiano Ronaldo has finally got his dream move.

The inevitable fact was that he was going to go at some point. But saying it wasn't still a shock would be a lie in itself.

After last summer's media frenzy, it was widely known that Madrid would come at United again, despite the fact that they said it was all over in January. However, the time scale has been rather astonishing.

It was only two weeks after the Champions League final that the first collective newspaper speculation began again. But going further, after the first notion of a bid, the acceptance came almost straight away. Not exactly the drawn-out circus we all thought it would be.

There's been a mix of different reactions from United fans. Big decisions, whatever they are, won't please everyone. There are far too many people for all of them to be pleased by one decision.

I, for one, would like to thank Ronaldo for what he has contributed on the pitch. Six years ago he became the most expensive teenager in football. When he made that first appearance as a substitute against Bolton as an unknown teenage prodigy, nobody could have predicted the success that was to follow for both team and player.

Ronaldo leaves United having won everything (well, everything apart from the Super Cup if you're picky) and he's also won his fair share of individual honours on the way to becoming World Footballer of the Year.

Am I sorry to see him go? Well that's a different question altogether. Every single one of those honours had the effect of making his ego get bigger and bigger. The better he became, the more accolades he collected. The more he contributed, the more he started to get wrapped up in his own self-importance.

Then came the diving and the tantrums; the throwing up of the arms when he didn't get the free-kick he thought he deserved, like a child denied a new toy or a sweet.

The sulking, the rolling around and the unforgettable antics (for me, anyway) after a perfectly good tackle from the honest and professional Phil Neville to con the referee into booking Neville.

And then, of course, there was last summer. All the confusion and indecision about a possible transfer. Instead of keeping his promise to United fans to announce his future in the next few days, he went back on that promise.

Even in May he announced that Old Trafford was his home. But it doesn't exactly look like that was his intention.

And then there was the unforgivable. Turning his back on the manager and the muttering under his breath. Throwing the tracksuit top to the ground when he was substituted, and the look of disgust on his face.

I'm sure there's more I could add, but the circus is over, and we look forward to United moving forward once again - as they've done time and time again in the past 

Ronaldo got too big for his boots. Despite what HE may think, United are, have always been, and always will be bigger than he will ever be.