ALL Ronaldo's future/comments/speculation

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topper said:
not to this level as most United posters here are reconciled to him moving out next close season and will give SAF time to spend the dosh which will ease the pain
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What dosh? Madrid aint got it this time and they won't have it next time, either. They're skint and their failure to land the famous '£500m/yr. return' on Ronaldo will make it worse. Years of 'Galacticos' have taken their toll and failure aint the best reference in business. Calderon played his infantile cards and lost by promising Ronaldo a 'massive' bid and then relying on him to ask for a transfer and get him cheap. He's a total cnut, a failure and he's gone. Sad, eh? Fergie let him dig his hole and let him fall in it. Fortunately, he didn't allow Ronaldo to fall in with him.
 
fjred said:
What dosh? Madrid aint got it this time and they won't have it next time, either. They're skint and their failure to land the famous '£500m/yr. return' on Ronaldo will make it worse. Years of 'Galacticos' have taken their toll and failure aint the best reference in business. Calderon played his infantile cards and lost by promising Ronaldo a 'massive' bid and then relying on him to ask for a transfer and get him cheap. He's a total cnut, a failure and he's gone. Sad, eh? Fergie let him dig his hole and let him fall in it. Fortunately, he didn't allow Ronaldo to fall in with him.
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Spot on. I hope we get to see Calderon one more time - with egg on his face.
 
fjred said:
What dosh? Madrid aint got it this time and they won't have it next time, either. They're skint and their failure to land the famous '£500m/yr. return' on Ronaldo will make it worse. Years of 'Galacticos' have taken their toll and failure aint the best reference in business. Calderon played his infantile cards and lost by promising Ronaldo a 'massive' bid and then relying on him to ask for a transfer and get him cheap. He's a total cnut, a failure and he's gone. Sad, eh? Fergie let him dig his hole and let him fall in it. Fortunately, he didn't allow Ronaldo to fall in with him.
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You're forgetting one thing. Madrid have a willingness to go into debt to buy players to appease their fans. They also have people/the council, who will look after them should their debts become too much. If they can get Ronaldo to make a proper, public attempt to move down the line, then I don't imagine the money will be an issue.

I genuinely believe they would have sacrificed someone like Robinho to get Ronaldo had that been a realistic possibility. I would bet that's one of the factors that has Robinho so unsettled at present, he may have been given the brush off while they were pursuing our player, and now he is unavailable, they want Robinho to stay.
 
Ronaldo might want to leave, and some of us might find the way he goes about doing it disrespectful to the club.

I admit I was one of those, but coming to think about it again, he never stooped to the levels of Gallas, who threatened to score own goals to force the club sell him.
 
I will just say Thank You to Cristiano Ronaldo for that interview. Thats exactly what we have been waiting for all this time. I understand more from his point of view and I will forgive him for next season. The slate has been wiped clean. As long as he gives his all for our team then I cant complain.
 
hycool said:
Ronaldo might want to leave, and some of us might find the way he goes about doing it disrespectful to the club.

I admit I was one of those, but coming to think about it again, he never stooped to the levels of Gallas, who threatened to score own goals to force the club sell him.
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Wasn't it Jose Mourinho who made that unsubstantiated claim? Perhaps you need a pinch of salt for that one. And player's behaviour shouldn't be judged against the poor behaviour of other players.
 
Classy Cannon said:
We probably still don't know the truth. I don't believe that the same lad who was daft enough to have his head turned, & open his mouth in public about wanting a move, would give that interview. I reckon what we're getting now is the Utd spin to make it easier for the fans to accept all the bollox that's gone on.
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I don't know about that. If United had prepared his statement or schooled him on exactly what to say, I don't think they would have him mention so many times about how he wants to play for Madrid.

He probably did prepare for it to an extent, but I still think he's being at least mostly truthful. Those other, more damaging quotes seem like they were probably off the cuff statements, so he was playing coy with the reporters. "You know what I want", "only God knows the future", etc. Those leave a lot open to interpretation. Though I still don't like how he handled those.

It's interesting that, IIRC, the only two times that he sat down for a formal interview were ESPN Deportes and now this Publico (I don't know how pre-planned or formal the Ballague interview was). And both times he made statements that indicated he was returning to United. Of course, those were both after SAF had a chat with him, so it may just be coincidence.
 
Thing is if Ronaldo had said all this at the start instead of being vague, no one would really have minded but then United would've been forced to sell him at a lower price. It's a good interview though, the PR men have done well on this one.

We'll be singing 'Viva Ronaldo' sooner than most people think. I'd say 5 games or so into his comeback. He'll do something brilliant score a late winner or something, a few people will get it going and in the euphoria others will join in. Nobody's going to say, 'Hang on a minute I promised on pg. 119 of the Ronaldo thread on the Caf, not to sing the Ronaldo song again, I better be quite.'
 
Psmith said:
Thing is if Ronaldo had said all this at the start instead of being vague, no one would really have minded but then United would've been forced to sell him at a lower price. It's a good interview though, the Page Ranking men have done well on this one.

We'll be singing 'Viva Ronaldo' sooner than most people think. I'd say 5 games or so into his comeback. He'll do something brilliant score a late winner or something, a few people will get it going and in the euphoria others will join in. Nobody's going to say, 'Hang on a minute I promised on pg. 119 of the Ronaldo thread on the Caf, not to sing the Ronaldo song again, I better be quite.'
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Quiet.



I found myself hummig it earlier, wierd.
 
hycool said:
Ronaldo might want to leave, and some of us might find the way he goes about doing it disrespectful to the club.

I admit I was one of those, but coming to think about it again, he never stooped to the levels of Gallas, who threatened to score own goals to force the club sell him.
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so claim the gallant, luminaries at Chelsea, a club peopled with the most diligent and honest employees, bastions of integrity all - lone beacon of hope in today's sordid football world.
 
The whole interview:

"My coach had the courtesy to meet with me some days ago in Lisbon, and I think that is already public," Ronaldo told Publico.

"It was an honest conversation, between two people who respect each other a lot and have a mutual affection and friendship. What we told each other stays between us."

Ronaldo admitted that his wish to play for Real Madrid is still very strong and did not rule out a future move to Santiago Bernabéu.

"The people that know me know well that only something very strong would make me think this (leaving Manchester United). Manchester United is a club that will forever be in my heart," he added.

"And that will always be true, no matter what happens in the future. I know what this club has done for me and I will always be grateful, no matter the circumstances. But, even because of that, even because I know that this is a different club, with an extraordinary human dimension, at some point I had some hope that my will and my reasons would be understood."

He went on to add: "After winning the Champions League, I felt that in five years I had helped the team win everything there was to win. We had won two league titles in a row and I had won the majority of individual awards, top goal-scorer of the Premier League and the Champions League in Europe.

"I thus felt that maybe I needed a new challenge. On the other hand, I had never hidden that I wished to play in Spain, namely at Real Madrid, and I thought this could be the moment to do it. Manchester and Real are probably the two biggest clubs in the world and that would never be an easy decision. Besides the new challenge that I sought, everyone understands that the Spanish lifestyle and culture are a lot closer to the Portuguese ones. These were, in fact, the reasons that made me ponder."

Ronaldo also used this interview to stress that the possibility of a better contract at Santiago Bernabéu was never a reason he considered to put an end to his five-year association with the Red Devils:

"I am aware that, in any circumstance, I would be a victim of speculation. I knew that there would always be people that would say that my biggest concern was a bigger salary," Ronaldo noted.

"Others would insist on the idea that my vanity could not resist the possibility of being attached to the biggest transfer of all time at just the age of 23. Of course, I am proud because my work is recognized, but none of this weighed decisively on my desire.

"Plus, if it was just for the money, I would never leave Manchester United. In addition to the reasons that I already referred, I also have to admit that my family would really welcome this change. The possibility of being one hour away by plane from my mother and my family was a strong attraction, especially because I would serve a club as big as Real Madrid. I know that I have to deal with these circumstances, even if sometimes it is hard for me too, but it is a bit painful to demand it from those I care the most about."

"The biggest proof of what I just said is the fact that I made a huge investment to buy a house in Manchester, when I did not even need to. I did it exactly to try to give maximum comfort not just to me, but also to the ones that are close to me. The people from Manchester United, namely the coach, understood my reasons.

"But we all ended up concluding that I should continue wearing Manchester United's number 7 shirt. It won't be a sacrifice for me, but a huge honour. I have important things to continue winning in England. And I will give my best for Manchester. I want to defend the European title and help Manchester become world champions. That, of course, without forgetting about winning the Premier League and the remaining competitions."

Ronaldo revealed, meanwhile, that he is not afraid of being booed by Manchester United's own fans after having declared that he would not like to return to Old Trafford.

"Honestly, no. I think that possibility is there, but I hope that won't happen," he said.

"I know I am a good professional, I know that no one demands more from himself than I do and I will continue doing it no matter the circumstances. The biggest joy in my career has been winning the Champions League. No one will erase it from my memory, just like no one will be able to erase the fact that I did it wearing Manchester United's shirt.

"What I publicly said, perhaps naively, I totally admit. People have to understand one thing: I reached a dream club like Manchester at the age of 18. I fulfilled a dream. But, even then, I had in my mind the wish to play some years in England and then play in Spain.

"I was already thinking about that back then and I never stopped doing my best because of that. Why lie? I won't be a hypocrite and say the opposite of what I think, like others do. I said exactly what I think: I have the dream of playing at Real Madrid and I thought it was time to leave. People can't criticize that I wanted to fulfil this dream I have had since I was a child."

Ronaldo added that he never considered breaching his contract with Manchester United and that he would only leave if his employers were to receive the right compensation.

"I confess that one of the reasons why I announced my desire was the fact that Manchester would be rightly compensated. The figures that were reported, which would be record-breaking, would be enough, at least materially, to pay the debt of gratitude I have to this club.

"I will hereby assume something I had never told anyone. If we had not won the Champions League, I would probably not even announced that I wanted to go to Real Madrid.

"And there is something very important that must be said: it was never my will to force my exit without Manchester United's consent. By refusing the offer, the United board also stressed how much they liked me. At that time, I did not totally understand it, but now I can give it its due value."
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Ruben said:
Can only repeat myself again mate. I don`t really have a problem with him wanting to play for Madrid at some time, in other words I don`t have a problem with the truth. My problem is with the disrespectful manner he has uttered this truth, and the way he dealt with it in general.

IMO, it could all have been more quiet if he hadn`t said "I stay" in Moscow and then a couple of days later saying that he will issue a statement after the EC.
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I don't have too much of a problem in the way he handled it tbh - he was broadly consistent once the apparently serious possibility of him moving this summer was raised. He didn't lie about his position - he didn't force the issue - I don't think his truths were disrespectful of Utd either.
 
In reading the interview that Ronaldo gave to the Portuguese newspaper or at least the English translation, Ronaldo seems to believe that Real Madrid actually made a formal bid.

‘When they turned down the offer, the people at United made it very clear how much they wanted me. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but now I can really appreciate it.’

Has there been any official word out of Old Trafford that United actually received a bid and that it was turned down. Also wonder how much this alleged bid was for?
 
Canuckred64 said:
In reading the interview that Ronaldo gave to the Portuguese newspaper or at least the English translation, Ronaldo seems to believe that Real Madrid actually made a formal bid.

‘When they turned down the offer, the people at United made it very clear how much they wanted me. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but now I can really appreciate it.’

Has there been any official word out of Old Trafford that United actually received a bid and that it was turned down. Also wonder how much this alleged bid was for?
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yesw there was a formal offer for about 80 mil euros including all the clauses. I am glad that it was turn down. i really would like to see Blatter face right now:lol::lol: ""Ronaldo will be here in 2 weeks tiime" I bet Nadal is gonna smash his ass about lying to the fans and him.
 
Rednails said:
Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga timeline: What they said
So the Ronaldo summer transfer saga looks to have finally come to a close. We take a look at what was said, and when they said it.


By Mark Ogden
Last Updated: 6:50PM BST 07 Aug 2008

May 1: Ronaldo said: "It is hard to live in Manchester, but it is a great club and I am very happy here."

May 15: Ronaldo said: "I have said a million times I'd love to play in Spain. I feel happy here, but let's see what happens after the Champions League final."

May 22: Hours after helping United to the Champions League title, Ronaldo said: "I never promise anything. I don't promise anything to my mum and I don't promise anything to the Manchester supporters. I want to stay, I want to stay, but the future ... no one knows."

May 23: Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon said: "If a player decides to leave he is unstoppable. Slavery was abolished a long time ago and nobody can prevent a player from moving. If Manchester want to sell him (Ronaldo), we can pay what they ask."

May 25: Reacting to the Ronaldo speculation, United chief executive David Gill said: "Cristiano has a four year contract with us and he will be in a United shirt next season."

May 28: Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster said: "For the fans, this signing would be a spectacular 'boom', a bit like what we saw with David Beckham. Cristiano Ronaldo is our priority."

June 5: Ronaldo goes public on his desire to play for Real Madrid. He said: "I want to play for Real Madrid, but only if it is true they are eager to pay me and Manchester United what they have been saying they will."

July 10: FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: "In football, there is too much modern slavery. I'm always in favour of protecting the player. If he wants to leave, let him."

July 11: Ronaldo responds to Blatter's comments, saying: "I agree with the statement of the president, he is right."

July 18: After meeting Ronaldo in Lisbon, Sir Alex Ferguson said: "We both made our points of view about where we stand and where the player stands and what I can say is that he will be a Manchester United player next season. That's our stance, he won't be sold."

July 20: Real president Ramon Calderon said: "Ferguson is hard, but it does not matter. Ronaldo will be signed shortly."

August 6: Following Ronaldo's admission that he will stay at United, Ferguson said: "We can put this to bed now. It's finished and the boy is a Manchester United player and that's most important thing."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...do-transfer-saga-timeline-What-they-said.html
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I really hope Calderon gets the ax, underestimated our general he did
 
Manchester United beat off Real Madrid in the tug-of-war for Cristiano Ronaldo

So just to recap on the wholde Ronaldo transfer saga, here a timeline of how, what; where and when happened?

Timeline: How Manchester United beat off Real Madrid in the tug-of-war for Cristiano Ronaldo

By Mirror.co.uk 7/08/2008
6D98C710-E19C-7BD6-CC04694EC12E4115.jpg
(pic:Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo has snubbed Spanish giants Real Madrid and confirmed that he will stay at Manchester United. Finally the long running saga is over.
Here is how events have unfolded since the end of the season...

May 13, 2008: We'll sign Cristiano Ronaldo for £100m, boast Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United future has been cast into doubt again as Real Madrid insist the Portuguese superstar could be ready to leave Old Trafford this summer.

May 14, 2008: Real Madrid target Cristiano Ronaldo: I'm sticking with United
Cristiano Ronaldo says he is staying at Manchester United and will rebuff Real Madrid's attempts to lure him away from Old Trafford.

May 16, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo admits he may leave this summer
Cristiano Ronaldo has thrown Manchester United into chaos by admitting he may leave this summer.

May 23, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo pledges to stay at Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo will end the weeks of game-playing by committing himself to Manchester United in the next seven days.

May 28, 2008: Alex Ferguson will fly to Euro 2008 for talks with Ronaldo
Sir Alex Ferguson plans to meet with the Portugal star ahead of the summer showpiece to ensure he stays at Old Trafford, as he declares war on Real Madrid.

May 29, 2008: Manchester United wins battle with Real Madrid over Ronaldo
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon climbs down after United threaten to bring in Fifa.

June 2, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo to pick Manchester United or Real Madrid in 48 hours
The United manager is left to sweat as Ronaldo says he will make a decision on his future.

June 4, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo: I want to leave Manchester United
The star winger has told friends he is keen to move on but accepts he may have to wait for a year.

June 5, 2008: Barcelona join Real Madrid in chase for Cristiano Ronaldo
Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell brings the United star into his election campaign.

June 6, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks silence on Real Madrid move
The bombshell United fans have been dreading as their star man confirms in an interview he wants to play for Real Madrid.

June 7, 2008: Manchester United to report Real Madrid to FIFA over Ronaldo
Ramon Calderon's reaction to Ronaldo's interview is too much for United.

June 12, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo moves closer to Old Trafford exit
Manchester United refuse to give him a pay rise.

June 15, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo 7/4 to quit Manchester United
Betfred boss Fred Done reckons Ronaldo will join Real Madrid.

June 17, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo loses patience with Man United
Ronaldo's hardline stance has encouraged Real to step up the pressure on United.

June 20, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo says possibilities of him joining Real Madrid are "great"
Cristiano Ronaldo hints he is ready to quit Manchester United.

June 20, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo reveals desire for ‘dream move’
A move away from Old Trafford would be “a dream” and “a step forward” says Ronaldo.

June 21, 2008: Manchester United's desperate battle to keep Cristiano Ronaldo
United players bombard his mobile with pleas to stay.

June 23, 2008: Real Madrid will pay up to £80m for Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster piles the pressure on Manchester United over Cristiano Ronaldo.

June 24, 2008: Real Madrid 'to announce Cristiano Ronaldo transfer on July 7'
Club sources have told Spanish newspaper Marca that Manchester United 'will be forced to accept' the Portuguese winger's transfer.
 
continued....

July 7, 2008: Ronaldo to stay at United: Real pull plug on move
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon admits Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Spain is OFF until he has proved his fitness.

July 8, 2008: Real Madrid chief urges Man United to sell Ronaldo
Ramon Calderon tells Man United they should be proud to let Cristiano Ronaldo join them in what he claimed will be the "transfer of the century".

July 10, 2008: Manchester United respond to Sepp Blatter’s ‘slavery’ claims
UEFA's William Gailard also wades in, criticising the increase in player power and spiralling wages.

July 11, 2008: I am a slave, says Cristiano Ronaldo as he backs Fifa claim
Cristiano Ronaldo last night accused Manchester United of treating him like a slave.

July 12, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo ordered to return to Man Utd on July 28
Sir Alex Ferguson has ordered Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Manchester United in two weeks.

July 15, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo on course for new clash with Fergie
Cristiano Ronaldo is on a fresh collision course with Sir Alex Ferguson over the date of his return to Manchester.

July 18, 2008: Sir Alex Ferguson: “Ronaldo is staying at Manchester United”
Sir Alex Ferguson has publicly declared that Cristiano Ronaldo will still be a Manchester United player next season.

July 12, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to commit future to Manchester United
Portuguese star remains ambiguous in latest Stateside interview, while Real Madrid continue to claim transfer will go ahead

July 30, 2008: Alex Ferguson on the verge of winning Cristiano Ronaldo war
Sir Alex Ferguson was on the verge of winning his battle of wills over Cristiano Ronaldo last night

Aug 1, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo to demand Real Madrid move
Cristiano Ronaldo will demand Sir Alex Ferguson lets him join Real Madrid when he returns next week

Aug 5, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo: I'm never going back to Man United
Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to come back and face Sir Alex Ferguson

Aug 5, 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo saga is ‘closed’ says Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson says the Portuguese player will remain at Man United

Aug 6, 2008: Ronaldo commits to Man United
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said he will stay at Manchester United next season and is not about to join Real Madrid

Aug 7, 2008: Ronaldo: "I'll play for Manchester United with my heart and soul"
Cristiano Ronaldo revealed for the first time last night that he will stay with Manchester United for one more season - at least....
 
Just when you thought it was safe to go to sleep........


Real Madrid battle for Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo still to be fought

As a man who has often conceded that he regards victory as a fleeting moment that immediately precedes the planning stage of the next challenge ahead, Sir Alex Ferguson will welcome Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United with a plot already forming in his mind as to how to win a second battle to keep the player from Real Madrid’s clutches next summer.



By Mark Ogden
Last Updated: 12:51AM BST 08 Aug 2008

ronaldo0808afp_787395c.jpg
If looks could kill: Ronaldo could invoke the Webster ruling at the end of the 2009-10 season and buy out the remaining two years of his United contract Photo: AFP


The Spanish champions are unaccustomed to suffering a bloodied nose in their annual tussles for the world’s leading footballers, but United and Ferguson have left their mark this summer by repelling Madrid’s advances for the Portuguese forward.
United have by no means delivered a knockout blow, however, and although Ronaldo will again wear the No 7 shirt when he returns from ankle surgery in the autumn, retaining the 23-year-old’s services beyond the end of this season is likely to prove an altogether more difficult task, with the unheralded 'Webster ruling’ threatening to back United into a corner.
Having committed himself to a five-year contract at Old Trafford in April 2007, Ronaldo had little hope of bullying United into submission this summer, despite his naked desire to leave for the Bernabeu.
And in such a position of strength, Ferguson and United’s chief executive, David Gill, grasped the opportunity to send out the message to Madrid that this was one transfer struggle the Spaniards were not going to win.
The balance of power will have swung firmly towards Ronaldo in a year’s time, however, with the Webster factor beginning to loom over United.
The Webster ruling, so-called as a result of Scotland defender Andy Webster invoking Article 17 of Fifa’s transfer regulations to buy out his contract at Hearts and move to Wigan in August 2006, allows players who sign contracts when they are under 28 to break those contracts unilaterally after three years, with compensation payable to the club.
Ronaldo could invoke Article 17 at the end of the 2009-10 season and buy out the remaining two years of his £120,000-per-week contract at a cost of £12.48 million, which would not seem quite so prohibitive should a signing-on fee of a similar amount be agreed with Madrid.
Facing the threat of the Webster ruling, United would have to thrash out a new contract with Ronaldo next summer to avoid the nightmare scenario of the club’s most saleable asset walking away for nothing more than the remaining value of his contract 12 months later.
United’s owners, the Glazer family, have been wholly supportive of Ferguson and Gill’s stance this summer, but the Americans would not enjoy the prospect of Ronaldo’s transfer value plunging through the floor should he set his sights on exploiting Article 17.
Despite describing Ferguson as being “like a second father to me at Manchester United’’ in his interview with the Portuguese newspaper Publico, Ronaldo again underlined the motivation behind his pursuit of a move to Madrid. He pointed to family reasons – “the chance of being an hour’s flight from my mother” – and admitted that on his arrival at United in 2003, he was “thinking about playing in England for some years and then going to play in Spain’’.

link
 
Manchester United will be followed by a darkening Cristiano Ronaldo cloud

The great frustration with Cristiano Ronaldo’s wearisome flirtation with Real Madrid was always that he would be leaving Manchester United just as the party had started.



By Henry Winter, Football Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:15AM BST 08 Aug 2008

ronaldo0808ap_787401c.jpg
Captain's prerogative: it seems highly likely that Cristiano Ronaldo will probably quit the United party early Photo: AP


United have the youth, verve, strength in depth, camaraderie and leadership to write not just a page in the history of European football, as they did in Moscow, but a whole superlative-filled chapter.
A deep vein of gold runs through Old Trafford currently and Ronaldo would have been foolish to have gone prospecting elsewhere, even in such glittering surrounds as the Bernabeu. Ronaldo would never again be a part of such a band of brothers as Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic, Owen Hargreaves and Patrice Evra.
He would never feel the competitive pressure on all players to deliver as at United with youngsters such as Anderson and Nani thrusting forward, even a newer generation like the Da Silva twins. He would never work under such a shrewd manager as Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ronaldo must appreciate that he can mature further under Ferguson. Barring a lively opening half-hour, Ronaldo was outshone by Wes Brown in the Champions League final. In the Premier League, Ronaldo has not scored against Chelsea in eight attempts, and has found the net only once against Liverpool in seven games. He remains a work in progress.
If Ronaldo’s brain worked as quickly and productively as those clever feet he would tie himself to United for as long as Ferguson was there, harvest medals for two, maximum three more seasons and then jet off to Madrid. Ronaldo would then be 26, primed for five glorious years in Castille.
Sadly, he seems likely to quit the United party early, probably next summer.
Madrid’s reputation as the Mounties of football, of always getting their man, has been temporarily damaged but the Spaniards will ride again in pursuit of United’s No 7. Ferguson has won the battle, but he hasn’t won the war.
It looks an uneasy truce, one that will become particularly strained when the inevitable stories swirl up the Bay of Biscay like a malevolent wind blowing into Old Trafford, talking up the move again. Ronaldo promises to play with “heart and soul’’ for United but one eye will inevitably be on Madrid. “I will continue to admire the Spanish club as I have done since I was a boy,’’ he pined yesterday.
So a cloud will follow United this season, darkening and lengthening as the campaign progresses. Ronaldo will score goals, destroy defences and collect a medal or two but the accompanying noises off will be an unwelcome distraction.
Those who hail yesterday’s developments as a victory for the Premier League over La Liga, who would believe that footballing contracts are worth more than the paper they are written on, should beware next summer’s machinations. Until then, one thing is for sure: United and Real are bound to cross paths this season.

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Remember the stories after Wimbledon after Nadal asking Calderon if they were gonna get Ronaldo, and he said it was in the bag; apparently
 
....and look what they've done to Robinho.....it gets better every minute.
I do believe Real might implode this season.

Chelsea go public on £19.75m offer for Real Madrid's Robinho

  • Friday August 8 2008
  • Article history
Chelsea have started to make a bad week even worse for Real Madrid by going public with an offer for the Brazil winger Robinho, which is believed to be valued at £19.75m. Real are down due to their failure to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United and their president Ramón Calderón, who has already valued Robinho at €60m (£48m), now faces a dilemma.
Although he has signed the creative midfielder Rafael van der Vaart from Hamburg, his credibility would be damaged if he lost Robinho, a fans' favourite, for what could be viewed as a cut-price figure.
Real might have only themselves to blame, however, having alienated Robinho during a tumultuous summer. The 24-year-old has cut a frustrated figure at the club and has felt undervalued since they engaged in the protracted pursuit of Ronaldo. At one point, they even offered Robinho as a makeweight in the deal.
Although Robinho has told Calderón that he wants to move to Stamford Bridge, it is nevertheless unusual for Chelsea to release a statement confirming that they had made a bid for the player.
Robinho's desire to sign has been strengthened by the presence at the club of his compatriot Luiz Felipe Scolari. "It would be a dream for me to work with Scolari, who is one of the best coaches in the world," he said. "I have always spoken highly of him and he has always spoken highly of me, since well before he was at Chelsea."
Scolari has already completed the signing of another Brazil-born player, Deco from Barcelona for £8m, and Robinho is seen as being able to produce still greater fantasy, which has been demanded by the club's owner Roman Abramovich.

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From Marca: The whole of London insists on trying to move Robinho, but Real don't need the money :lol:
 
what was it Calderon said again?

'You can't keep a player that wants to leave'

well lets see how this turns out. Be interesting to see if they keep Robinho
 
If Robinho is let go the Madrid fans will turn on Calderon full force. He's really in a spot now. "You can't keep a player that wants to be elsewhere"
 
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