Departing Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a swipe at the Premiership as he launches his new Real Madrid career.

"The Premier League is a very good competition, but the Spanish league is going to have a little more quality because of the players who are arriving," said Ronaldo.

"Both leagues are going to be very good, but, with club president Florentino Perez's signings, the Spanish league is superior to the English.

"It's going to be a magnificent competition in Spain this year. All the players have a lot of quality and the referees protect the players more."