Cristiano Ronaldo's Fee Game

Cristiano Ronaldo's reluctance to give a definitive answer on the question of where his club future lies continues to give Real Madrid encouragement in their attempts to sign the player.


Ronaldo has been quoted as saying that he wants to play for the Spanish giants, though many at Manchester United believe that such posturing is simply part of negotiations to improve his contract at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese's contract has another four years to run but United are prepared to make him the highest paid player in Premier League history to try and convince him to stay.

The Real Madrid's Transfer Fee

However, Real are willing to beat any offer from United, knowing that a world record transfer fee in excess of £50 million, plus a reported £200,000 a week salary, would be softened by a projected £30 million revenue in shirt sales in the first year alone.

Such is the club's desire to take the world's best player to the Bernabeu, reports in this morning's papers suggest that they would be willing to cover any fines Ronaldo may incur for reporting late - or not at all - to United's pre-season training whilst a deal is thrashed out.

Ronaldo has repeatedly said he will consider his future once Portugal's Euro 2008 campaign has reached a conclusion.

He has refused to take calls from Sir Alex Ferguson, leaving the United manager in the dark as to his genuine intentions.

Should he fail to report to Old Trafford in July the club would be likely to fine him around £1 million - though Real are said to consider covering such fines as just another attendant cost in securing their primary summer transfer target.

Cristiano Ronaldo on Statement

"Before the last game I told you I don't want to discuss my future because I am concentrated on the Germany game," said Ronaldo.

"I will talk about it at the end of the European Championships."

Such sentiments will only fuel the notion that Ronaldo's days as a Manchester United player are drawing to a conclusion.

Ferguson has professed a desire to let the player sit in the stands rather than give in to what he and others at United perceive as underhand, bullying tactics from Real.

The United manager made a public appeal to the Glazer family, the club's American owners, to back him on such a stance. And it appears they are likely to acquiesce to his wishes.

With a debt of around £600 million to manage, incurred during the purchase of the club, a transfer fee of around £70 million for the 23-year-old may be appealing.




But an unnamed source close to the Glazers has told the Sun newspaper that suggestions that Ronaldo's fee would be used to alleviate the burden of the debt are wide of the mark.


"Anyone thinking the debt comes into this is totally ignorant of the facts," the source is quoted as saying.

"The debt is covered comfortably by the interest payments. In the three years the family have owned the club, they have shown a clear track record of investment, which will continue."