Real Madrid have put in place a deal with Cristiano Ronaldo's advisers that will see him leave Manchester United this summer if the world footballer of the year gets his way. Ronaldo remains determined to move to the Bernabéu and it is understood his salary and contractual terms have already been determined as part of a planned world-record £75m transfer.
Ronaldo's representatives have held extensive talks with Madrid and, according to informed sources, categorically informed the Spanish club last September that he had no intention of remaining in Manchester beyond the end of the current season. It is understood that various pledges were made to ensure the deal happens and that everyone involved in the negotiations made a pact not to discuss the agreement in public.
That strategy explains why Ronaldo has stopped talking about his "dream move", but it proved too difficult for one of Real's club's directors, Pedro Trapote, who tipped off the El Mundo newspaper in December. "If you are asking me what we are going to do now, then I would tell you that we have already signed the best player for the summer," he said in a recorded interview, intended to be an off-the-record briefing. Asked to clarify that he meant Ronaldo, he added: "The best of the best. It is Cristiano, there is no other. It is better that we do not say anything at the moment, though. It is best to not say anything because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it now."
Sir Alex Ferguson reacted furiously at the time, insisting that he would not "sell a virus" to "that mob", but it now appears that Trapote was speaking in good faith, having been privy to what was taking place behind the scenes.
Ronaldo is said to be intent on getting his way and that means, unless United show the kind of resistance that was evident when they blocked the same move last summer, there is a distinct possibility the Premier League will lose its most recognisable player in the coming months.
There are conflicting reports about United's current position. Ever since it became apparent that Ronaldo wanted to play in Spain, United's official line has been that he is under contract until 2012 and is not for sale. That stance has not altered, but Real and Ronaldo's camp believe they made a breakthrough behind the scenes. Indeed, there are claims that the two clubs began talks earlier this season and that United have accepted Ronaldo's position. It helps the negotiation process that Ramón Calderón, the Madrid president who orchestrated last summer's affair and irritated United so much in the process, is no longer in office, having been replaced by Vicente Boluda.
Calderón's conduct made keeping Ronaldo at United a point of principle to Ferguson and his chief executive, David Gill. They always knew, however, that Ronaldo was in Manchester against his wishes, and the revelation that he is planning to resurrect the transfer is news they have been dreading since the start of the season – even though it hardly represents a shock. "The mistake last year was to speak about Madrid so much," Ronaldo's godfather, Fernao Sousa, said recently. "This year hardly anyone is saying anything and it is certain the transfer will go much better."
Ronaldo's cousin, Luis Felipe, added: "He's won everything with United and he needs new challenges with a new team."
Ronaldo is currently United's leading scorer with 18 goals, but he managed 42 in the previous campaign, and there have been times when his body language, scarcely celebrating some goals, has come under scrutiny. Nonetheless, Ferguson's determination to keep him is understandable given Ronaldo's standing in the world game and the fact that, at 24, he is still relatively young in football terms.
In total, Ronaldo has scored 110 goals for United in 233 starts and 47 substitute appearances – a staggering strike-rate for a player who is essentially a right-winger.
The question is whether United's owners, the Glazer family, can turn down such a huge financial deal in the current economic climate. Ferguson will hope they can, but the manager has acknowledged that playing for Real is the pinnacle for a player of Ronaldo's Iberian background and it has stuck in his mind, from their talks last summer, that the player already thinks he has achieved everything he can in England.
