HE MAY have got the shirt off his back, but Cristiano Ronaldo has not moved into David Beckham's converted barn in Alderley Edge.

It had been rumoured that the Portuguese midfielder was in the market for the luxury mansion which was vacated by the England skipper and wife Victoria following his move to Madrid.

But instead the 18-year-old has snapped up a slightly more modest pad, thought to have cost around £500,000, close to The Merlin pub on the outskirts of the village.

The ground-floor apartment, off Alderley Road, will be home from home for the youngster, who is tipped to become one of the great players of his generation.

Manchester United's new number seven - Beckham's old shirt number - has drawn comparisons with his predecessor because of his designer clothes, good looks and now his new home in the village.

He will be in distinguished company in his new apartment which is close to the homes of boss Sir Alex Ferguson and team-mate Rio Ferdinand.

But the rags-to-riches star, who grew up in a shack in Madeira, looked a little unsure of himself as he strolled with a friend in Wilmslow town centre.

Passers-by and one female motorist shouted out to him and gave the thumbs up to the Reds' new hero as he tried to make sense of an English cash machine on Alderley Road.

Just last week Ronaldo was involved in a collision with a cyclist in Styal, who had to be taken to Wythenshawe Hospital for treatment to minor injuries.

The star, who was driving his BMW X5 along Ringway Road, in Moss Nook when the accident happened, passed a breath test at the scene and was uninjured in the crash.

Police said no further action would be taken.