FIFA to investigate "Real" Ronaldo saga

The Euro 2008 tournament that kicked off this weekend has almost stopped all transfer rumors. All big name players participating in the tournament have put off their transfer talks till the end of the month when the curtain falls. There is one particular player and the news surrounding him that never seems to stop. Though his performance for Portugal in their opening game against Turkey was below his usual standards, Christiano Ronaldo still had everyone talking where he would be playing next season.

Long time admirers Real Madrid have not kept it secret that they want the Portuguese super star playing at the Bernabeu. This is not the first time Real have made public their interest in any of the big name players. Kaka and Fabregas are other examples where the difference was the players rejected the move and stuck to the loyalty with their respective clubs. Last season Real were a whisker away from pricing out Kaka from AC Milan. An 80M offer would have definitely seen Milan selling the Brazilian, but it was Kaka who after talking to Madrid representatives decided against the move. Fabregas was indeed a target over a couple of seasons, it was a promise made by Real President as a part of his election campaign. The only promise that was kept was that of bringing Robben from Chelsea.

After winning the Spanish La Liga for the second season running Real certainly do not have problems in the center midfield to even think of accommodating Fabregas. New signing Sneijder who is continuing his terrific form into the Euro for Netherlands, Argentinian Gago who was one of the players of the season, Guti who still seems to have a few years left in him have all cemented their places in the center of midfield. Diarra, Baptista and others wait for their chances. Real youth player Granero who was loaned out last season at Getafe is rated as one of the most talented young players in Spain and he has been immediately recalled by Real. This leaves hardly any explanation to bring Fabregas into the squad.

Real President has openly claimed multiple times that they are interested in players of the quality of Ronaldo. There is no way Real can talk to Ronaldo as he is in a long term contract with Man Utd. The player contract specifications have been put in place by FIFA and UEFA to protect clubs and their priced assets from clubs who have high purchasing muscle power.

It is very simple here, Real President has played a game of making the press do his negotiation work. Claims such as "If Ronaldo wants to move we have the money to spend". Sounds familiar? this was what he claimed last year with Kaka. After the Champions League win, sources close to Real said they are ready to offer Man Utd 100M GBP and also maybe a player for Ronaldo, and double his wages to a record breaking 200,000/week. There is no salary cap in Spain mind you. Earlier last week Ronaldo said "If Real are ready to offer the money they claim, then i am open to talk". We even had Real Brazilian star Robinho claiming that there was interest from Chelsea but the likely deal would be a part exchange for Ronaldo with Man Utd.

Is this practical? Can a club have the financial solvency to spend 100M GBP in a single transfer? Player price tags have come down dramatically after 2003. It is supposed to be averaging at somewhere close to 25M GBP except players in the league of Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho to name a few. In 2000 Real spent the then transfer fee record of 37M GBP for Luis Figo who joined from fierce rivals Barcelona. The following year in 2001, Real again broke all transfer records by paying Juventus 45.6M GBP for Zinedine Zidane. Am i finished here? Certainly not. In 2002 Real spent 28.4M GBP for Brazilian striker Ronaldo. With another 25M GBP spent on David Beckham in 2003, Real Madrid spent an astonishing 135M GBP in a period of 4 years on 4 players. Are they in a position to spend 100M GBP on a single player? With their transfer philosophy changing since 2003 and also going past Man Utd as the highest earning club I am one of those guys who feel that Calderon is not kidding.

When Madrid signed Beckham, it did not look that bright a move especially after he signed for LA Galaxy for free when he moved 4 years later. I have written this in one of my earlier blogs that a financial study found Real Madrid earning almost 200M from having Beckham wear the white jersey for 4 years through Merchandising. Real would for sure be looking at Ronaldo as the next generation David Beckham.

Sports Journalist across the world are claiming that Ronaldo should be out of his mind to even think of moving from Man Utd. They were for sure the best club in Europe last season. But they did not have things easy. Tough competition from Chelsea to the last day in the Premiership and a lottery win in the Champions League final against the same opponents. Going into the final of the Champions League everyone acknowledged how great a player Ronaldo is but also added that he had to guide Man Utd to victory in the Champions League to ensure his stature as a world class player. Ronaldo did step up to the plate and scored in normal time, but we fail to think what the English press and the press around the world would have claimed if John Terry had converted the crucial penalty and won the game for Chelsea. It was Ronaldo out of all people who missed from the penalty spot for Man Utd.

Zidane came to Madrid with the Champions League medal missing in his illustrious career and Madrid won the very first year Zidane was there. Figo was able to achieve the same glory. Christiano Ronaldo has already had a season where he scored over 40 goals, won the Premiership and the Champions League with Man Utd, what can he possibly achieve at Real Madrid?

This is how i look at it, Ronaldo has been at the club for 5 years and has grown from being a selfish dribbler with wasteful skills to a world class player. Does Real have any history of developing players? Let me think? Answer is simply an emphatic NO. On the other hand how players like Stam, Beckham and Van Nistelrooy were treated by Sir Alex is not hidden from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo will gain on his stature by playing for Real Madrid apart from the extra millions he will make in wages. Reports in England claimed that Sir Alex was fuming as Ronaldo was not answering his calls after his match. Now Man Utd representatives including Sir Alex and the owners the Glazers have all denied any plans of selling their priced asset. After Ronaldo's claim and interest to play for Madrid, Man Utd have taken the last resort and that is to report them to FIFA for wrongly conduct. If there is someone who needs to commit here it is Ronaldo. If he like Kaka and Fabregas in the past have done, confirm his loyalty there is no point in Calderon or the press making any claims. Man Utd reportedly are going at a debt of 300,000 a week and paid 42M in debt last year. Glazers plan to break even by 2012 which would mean getting rid of some of their higher earning players like Rio and the rest of the gang.

A 100M in spending money or an unhappy player at 150,000 a week? Will it be indeed the thumbs up for Ronaldo.....