United to sell Ronaldo to Real Madrid

• Source: Global Times
• [23:32 June 11 2009]
• Comments

By Peter Simpson and Wang Wei

Spanish giant Real Madrid is to pay a world-record 80 million pounds ($132 million) for Manchester United sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, the English club revealed today.

The payout will be the biggest in football history, and the announcement comes just three days after the cash-rich Spanish club snapped up Brazilian Kaka for $90 million from Milan – surpassing the previous world record fee Real paid for Juventus Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

United fans the world over were disappointed by the sale but many were not surprised at the player’s departure, over which speculation had been rife for a number of years.

Real confirmed the offer last night, and are waiting for the player’s acceptance.

Legions of Manchester United fans in China expressed sadness and shock at the news.

Others are angry because it means Ronaldo will not appear in United’s friendly against Hangzhou Greentown next month in Zhejiang Province.

Many have already forked out for expensive tickets, believing they would watch the world footballer-of-the-year in action on July 26.

One of several unofficial Chinese-based United fans clubs, China Red Devils, published scathing comments about the sublime player, labeling him a “traitor” and calling him spoilt and arrogant.

“He’s an enemy of Man U from now on. And his future at Real Madrid is doomed,” wrote one upset fan.

Adrianna Zhang, a 20-year-old Beijing university student, thought the price tag was too low.

“I thought he’d be worth at least $150 million. I know he had planned to leave for years but I was a bit surprised they accepted the price so quickly,” she said.

The English Premier League champions have repeatedly said their star asset was not for sale. But the unconditional offer from Real Madrid proved to be one it could not refuse.

However, it is understood the money made from Ronaldo’s departure would be made available for manager Sir Alex Ferguson to invest in the transfer market.

The Spaniards had been interested in buying the 24-year-old Portuguese superstar since 2003 but the talks intensified over the past 12 months.

“At Cristiano’s request – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player’s representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player,” said Manchester United on its website in a short statement. “Matters are expected to be concluded by June 30. The club will not comment until further notice.”

Ronaldo is the latest recruit to be added to the Madrid dressing room since president Florentino Perez returned to the club earlier this year.

Perez previously led the Spanish club from 2000 to 2006 during the famous galacticos era. He has been handed some $280 million to revamp the team to a similar fashion, and to challenge bitter rival Barcelona in the La Liga and the Champions League.

Perez had made it clear that he would do “everything possible” to add Ronaldo to his expanding galaxy of stars.

Ronaldo’s last appearance for United was the Champions League final, which they lost 2-0 to Barcelona in Rome. The star, who joined United in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon for $12.2 millioin, blamed his manager for the loss, claiming Sir Alex “got his tactics wrong”.

United lodged a complaint with world governing body Fifa last June over what they believed was a deliberate attempt by Real to unsettle the goal-scoring winger last summer.

Ronaldo at the time said his “heart and soul” was with Manchester and his boss famously insulted the Real Madrid board by saying he would not “sell that mob a virus”.

But when such a sum is dangled in front of your nose, it seems Manchester have been forced to eat their words – and have sold the most expensive, brand-rich and arguably best player in the world.

Agencies contributed to the story