Jose Mourinho has ruled out the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid for the likes of Manchester City or Paris St-Germain by claiming the world’s best players will only play for "historic" clubs.
Former Manchester United forward Ronaldo sparked speculation about his future with the Spanish champions at the weekend by claiming he was “sad” and “not happy” at the Bernabeu.
While Ronaldo’s comments are believed to be a veiled warning to the club over the lack of progress on talks over a new contract, his remarks have prompted links to the likes of City, PSG and Anzhi Makhachkala – hugely wealthy clubs capable of affording the £80 million striker.
City, who play Real in the Champions League later this month, are understood to have no interest in signing Ronaldo, but PSG and Anzhi have yet to rule themselves out of a world record move for the 27 year-old.
Yet Mourinho, who transformed Chelsea with the funds of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, has dismissed the new wave of benefactor-funded clubs by insisting the top players will always want to play for the established elite.
“Madrid, Barca, Bayern ... these clubs have unique historic capital,” Mourinho said. “The trophies, the European Cups, the history, the fans. Things you cannot buy with money.
“The best players will want to be at these clubs, the three I have mentioned, and some others who have trophy cabinets full for almost a century. That is a determining factor for the players.
“We have the potential and history to keep our best players, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain. Everyone in our squad, Barca, too.
“But clubs which live just from the investments of their owners will not have it so easy, because they do not have the structures of the historic clubs.
“In that way, Financial Fair Play will be good for football. There will be difficulties for clubs which are not well structured, although they have wallets full of money.
“Madrid’s structures are well prepared for this, and we can enter successfully into the new era.”
By Mark Ogden Telegraph.co.uk