adminManchester United.
And it’s ironic how the Ronaldo story can come full circle as boss Sir Alex Ferguson wants the prodigal son back at Old Trafford.
His £810million get-out clause gives Madrid the upper hand. Or does it?
This summer, Ronaldo will have two years left on his contract.
Snub a new deal and, get-out clause or not, Madrid will have to accept a much lower fee.
In 2009, United lost their battle to keep Ronaldo who forced a move for a world-record £80m fee.
Now the boot is on the other foot.
How amusing that must be for Fergie, if nothing else.
Frustrated Ronaldo watched Lionel Messi land a new six-year deal at Barcelona worth over £100m.
The winger was promised a new contract himself in January by Real president Florentino Perez.
But it has yet to be signed and last week Madrid were playing catch-up, saying Ronaldo will get a six-year deal worth up to £25m a season.
It may be too late. Ronaldo has told former United teammates he wants to return and Madrid officials have already discussed a transfer fee they would accept — around £122m.
Real would effectively bank around £272m if you include the £150m in wages they would have had to pay Ronaldo.
It’s better than nothing in 2015 when Ronaldo will be 30 and available for free.
Naturally it will never come to that but how has it all come to this?
Ronaldo lived the Bernabeu dream by joining his “boyhood” team but that all seems a long time ago.
Ronaldo has not felt valued in Madrid for some time. He is still on his original Real contract, while Messi has signed Six new deals at Barca in seven years.
In addition, the winger has never felt the club support his quest to be crowned Fifa’s Player of the Year.
The Ballon D’Or means everything to the Portuguese star — it is what drives him.
But Perez did not attend the Uefa Champions League draw when Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta picked up the Best Player in Europe award last August.
Barca president Sandro Rosell was there to watch his own star collect the trophy and Ronaldo admitted he was “sad”.
It was the final straw. No new deal and no support to win individual accolades made Ronaldo explode.
Fergie cunningly said last week that “Ronaldo is as good as Messi” — giving the winger the praise he feels he does not get from his own club.
And United’s Patrice Evra chipped in by saying if he came back he would “win the Ballon D’Or”.
Evra has also told Ronaldo to come home to Old Trafford if he doesn’t feel loved at Real Madrid.
Ronaldo quit United in 2009 to achieve his boyhood dream of playing for Real, but the Portugal forward has never been treated with the same respect in Spain that he enjoyed in the Premier League.
While United fans worshipped Ronaldo, in Madrid he has complained of feeling “sad” at the lack of appreciation for his devastating displays, which helped Real end Barcelona’s reign as Spanish champions last season.
Ronaldo, who has scored 170 times in 169 appearances for the Spanish giants, is also believed to be unhappy that Real’s hierarchy haven’t given him improved contracts in the same way Barcelona have rewarded their superstar Messi. — The Sun.
Online Reporter