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Real Madrid preparing 'spectacular' move for Cristiano Ronaldo
Andrew Hodgson29 May 2009
Real Madrid presidential hopeful Florentino Perez has claimed "an agreement" is in place for Cristiano Ronaldo to join the club for £80million.
The Spanish giants have been tracking the Manchester United winger for the past two years without success but a fresh move is expected this summer.
Perez is the overwhelming favourite to return to the post he held from 2000-06 and, once his election is confirmed, has signalled the signing of Ronaldo - along with AC Milan's Kaka - will be top of his agenda.
Asked about Ronaldo by the Spanish press, Perez said: "He's a player that would be very good if he came to Real Madrid. What I know is what I've read, that there is an agreement by means of which he would come for £80m."
Asked if he would pay that amount, Perez said: "Next week we will look at the numbers and nobody should doubt that we are going to design a spectacular project."
There had originally been three other presidential candidates to rival Perez but Eugenio Martinez Bravo, Juan Onieva and Eduardo Garcia have all pulled out of the running in the last fortnight.
If no other candidates step forward before Sunday's deadline, Perez could being installed as president as early as Monday.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has repeatedly spoken of his anger at Madrid's public pursuit of his star player - who has three years left on his contract - and Perez's latest comments are bound to irritate him further.
Madrid have also been linked with a £40m move for Bayern Munich's France midfielder Franck Ribery.
Reader views (5)
Great news for United. Let this child go fool around somewhere else.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 29/05/2009 23:00
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If he does go, good luck to him, We can use the 80 mill to strengthen the team even further. He owes us nothing, he has been brilliant for United and almost single handedly won the double for us in 2008. Also bearing in mind he only cost United 12 mill the club would make a 68 mill profit, yet another great bit of business by the greatest manager ever. Arise sir Alex.
- James, london, 29/05/2009 21:49
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How's about we wait to see what happens in the real world before speculating on this or that, huh?
Ask any top player how he feels about being on a losing side in a major final and you WILL NOT GET a happy, bouyant response. Having dozens of 'reporters' calling out leading questions and then writing about how so-and-so said (insert their leading question) based upon half responses they hear (or think they hear) is not reality, but created rubbish.
He may well be moving - who knows. Guessing (and in the case of 'fans' who don't like the man, wishful thinking) are not real until proven to be so. One thing is certain, if he did give in to these external pressures and move on, the self-important whingers and speculators would simply move on to their next high profile plaything - sorry, that's 'player'. Can't imagine how I made that slip....
- Rogan, Irving, 29/05/2009 17:47
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Pity all these arrogant players end up here in the premiership! Messi looked the part, if they would of lost, he wouldn't of said im leaving, Cristiano, go mate (not a Man U) supporter, but come on you only lost a final and tried to win it in the 1st 10 mins, looking for a glory goal, look at Eto and Messi goals, weren't world class,but won the game.
Ronaldo,what did you do mate?
- Adrian, london, 29/05/2009 17:32
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Wasn't there an "agreement" last summer as well?
This ongoing story is frankly getting tedious even for Manchester United fans, many of whom have had enough of his ego, self-promotion, smugness and selfishness on the pitch. Neutral fans couldn't care if he left.
- Paul R, London, 29/05/2009 17:09
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