United weigh up £130m bid as Ronaldo seeks ‘fresh challenge’
Real forward is serious in desire to leave, clubs told PSG and Inter could also make move for Portuguese
Cristiano Ronaldo’s advisers are telling clubs he wants to leave Real Madrid for a “fresh challenge”, with a fee of €150 million (£131 million) being mooted – and not because of the accusations of tax fraud he is facing in Spain.
Although that claim will be met with scepticism, not least because of the briefings from Ronaldo’s camp this week, clubs are nevertheless being encouraged to believe he is serious in his desire to quit.
Having won the Champions League three times in four seasons, retaining it, and winning La Liga again, it is argued by sources close to Ronaldo that, aged 32, he wants to move on for football reasons and has done all he can in Madrid and in Spain.
There is, however, one big problem with this argument – Ronaldo signed a five-year deal with Real only last November. The buy-out clause is €1billion, which is obviously unachievable, but a world-record bid of €150million may be forthcoming.
That is the figure circulating in football and might tempt, in particular, Paris St-Germain to make such an offer while Manchester United remain interested, and could also go that high.
There could be a new suitor in Inter Milan, who are spending big under their Chinese ownership. If he leaves Madrid, Ronaldo wants to stay in Europe, which would rule out a move to China or the United States.
PSG are rebuilding and have earmarked a budget of €220million to sign up to six new players.
They have long courted Ronaldo and have an open dialogue with his agent, Jorge Mendes, who also represents PSG player Ángel Di María, who may be one of those to leave, and also James Rodríguez and Pepe, who are leaving Real and have been offered to PSG.
Further, PSG sporting director Antero Henrique has a strong relationship with Mendes and also knows his fellow Portuguese, Ronaldo.
PSG have previously even pointed out to Ronaldo’s representatives that Paris has the largest Portuguese community outside of Portugal in Europe – there are 1.2 million in the French capital – and he would be an instant hero at the club where the challenge is to win the Champions League for the first time.
United also remain a possibility and there is strong admiration for Ronaldo and the way he has reinvented himself as a central striker.
The fact he is 32 is not a concern given the way he looks after himself and has not suffered any serious injuries.
However, United are wary given Ronaldo was expected to return to them in 2013 only to change his mind and sign a new deal at Real. It left United in the lurch.
United are already in talks with Real to sign striker Álvaro Morata and are trying to resist including David De Gea in any negotiations.
Ronaldo is away with Portugal at the Confederations Cup in Russia and, despite the protestations that his desire to leave is not because of the tax case, it is undeniable that the revelation will deflect attention from the fact that he is accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of €14.7 million between 2011 and 2014. He denies the charge.