adminLONDON. — Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes the club are attempting to sign Gareth Bale to replace the unsettled Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star has been long been linked with a return to former club Manchester United, and reportedly has wage demands that Real ‘would find difficult to accept’.
“I know that he (Ronaldo) is not happy at all with the attitude and behaviour of the president. He is asking for €20million net every season which is going to be difficult for Real to accept,” he told talkSPORT’s Drive Time show.
“I think the president has all his eggs on the table just in case he can’t get the renewal of Cristiano. That is my impression.
“He’s afraid at some moment that Cristiano will say, “I am not going to go on”. That will be bad news for Madrid. I would like to see him retire at Real but now the situation is difficult. Let’s see in the next weeks or months if it can be sorted out and he can stay.’
Real Madrid believe they have finally persuaded Tottenham to sell Bale for a world-record £87million.
After weeks of insisting Bale was not for sale, Spurs are thought to have relented.
Sportsmail understands a deal has been reached in principle and that it should be confirmed once Spurs have secured the signings they need to offset the loss of Bale.
Officially, the muscle strain which ruled Bale out of two Spurs games in Hong Kong last week prevented him from training and will, in all probability, stop him from playing in a friendly at Monaco tomorrow.
The quality of the pitch in Hong Kong was cited as the reason for not risking Bale and the pitch in Monaco is notoriously poor.
But this is an injury of convenience, designed to ensure there are no hitches with the Welshman’s transfer to Real.
A behind-closed-doors training game, which had been organised for yesterday by Villas-Boas to give match practice to some of those players who have not played much football this summer, was cancelled.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, speaking on tour in Los Angeles, said: ‘It’s difficult to talk about Bale because he doesn’t play for Real Madrid. We’ll see what happens; I’m happy with the current squad.
‘I have not spoken to Bale. Usually I do not speak to players from other teams.
‘The club are looking for a solution in the case of Bale, though there are no new developments with regards to this.’ Tottenham have agreed a fee with Valencia for Spain striker Roberto Soldado.
Soldado will have a medical before putting the finishing touches on his £26million move to White Hart Lane.
The signing will smash Spurs’ transfer record, which was the £17m they paid Corinthians for Brazil midfielder Paulinho earlier in the summer.
Tottenham tweeted yesterday morning:
“We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Valencia for the transfer of Roberto Soldado subject to medical.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter