LONDON, May 27 — Cristiano Ronaldo says he will announce within two weeks where he will be playing football next season.
That may mean he has already decided to move to Real Madrid. More likely he will be staying at Manchester United for more money.
After 42 goals for the Red Devils including one in last week’s Champions League final triumph over Chelsea in Moscow, Ronaldo is the hottest player in the world right now. Even hotter than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and AC Milan’s Kaka whose clubs fell way behind in their domestic title races and didn’t make it to the Champions League final.
Ronaldo’s goals, his mesmerising dribbling skills and long-range, swerving, dipping free kicks have increased his transfer value to put him out of reach for all but a handful of clubs.
After six seasons without European football’s biggest prize, however, Madrid sees Ronaldo as the missing ingredient it needs to win another Champions League. The Spanish soccer giant holds the record of nine titles in what used to be known as the European Cup, but hasn’t added to that total since 2002.
But it would need to pay a world record transfer fee of something like US$118.8 million even if it persuaded United to sell. Ronaldo is a year into a five-year contract at Old Trafford and United has given no indication that it is willing to sell its biggest asset.
United manager Alex Ferguson has accused Madrid of skullduggery in trying to pry Ronaldo away and the Spanish club’s president, Ramon Calderon, responded by saying it would only buy the star if the Premier League champion were willing to sell.
Ronaldo’s own words appear to open the door as wide as possible.
“I have nothing with Real Madrid at present,” Ronaldo said on Friday from Lisbon after he joined up with Portugal’s team for preparation for next month’s European Championship. “I have a contract with Manchester, and in the next two weeks we’ll be speaking again … perhaps there might be something new.”
That “something new” could be taken two ways.
A move to a new club. Or a new contract with United.
Ronaldo signed his five-year deal in April last year for US$237,600 a week. Now the papers are speculating that Madrid is prepared to pay him US$435,600 a week.
There is little chance that United would pay him that much and that’s why the Red Devils are furious that the speculation will unsettle him.
But the club appears to be getting backed into a corner. If it insists he sticks with his current deal, Ronaldo might well say that’s poor reward for what he has given the club this season.
A new five-year contract and raise might satisfy him but that would upset some of teammates who would then demand the same money.
“There is nothing certain at the moment,” Ronaldo told the Portuguese media yesterday. “The press always make stories about interest from other teams, not only from Madrid, also from Barcelona.
“On one hand it’s good and means that they know your value as a player and think you can be a good reinforcement for other teams.”
If that sounds like bad news for United, he also suggests he’s happy to stay at Old Trafford for now.
“My head is in Manchester because it is the club that, at the moment, puts me in the best condition and that I’m happy at,” he said. “I have never hid from anyone that I would like to play in Spain one day. It’s a dream, but sometimes dreams don’t happen.
“I can guarantee that I am happy at Manchester United and that I would love to continue.”
Ronaldo is also full of praise for Ferguson and his Portuguese assistant, Carlos Queiroz, who stood by him after he returned from the last World Cup a hated figure for his behaviour after Wayne Rooney was sent off in the England-Portugal quarterfinal.
Rooney, who is Ronaldo’s teammate at United, was ejected after stomping on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho. Ronaldo ran up to the referee to protest Rooney’s actions, and the England striker shoved him away. TV cameras caught Ronaldo winking towards the Portugal bench after Rooney was dismissed and his team went on to advance on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
When the English season kicked off two months later, Ronaldo was jeered wherever United played away from home. But he contributed 17 goals and United regained the Premier League title from Chelsea.
After helping United win another league title and a Champions League crown, Ronaldo has even more to bargain with.
But this is a situation United has faced before.
“I have no reasons to leave the club which has always supported me and has always helped me to evolve as a player. There are no final decisions yet,” Ronaldo told the Portuguese media back in July 2006.
“Things will be worked out next week. I want to do this the right way. If I end up staying, that’s fine. If I leave, that’s fine too.”
Ronaldo stayed, although he had to wait nine more months for his new contract. This time United may have to be a lot quicker. — AP
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