05-06-2009, 05:38 PM
Cristiano Ronaldo will pick up a staggering £26m if Real Madrid do not sign him by the end of the month, it was claimed last night.
Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon reportedly promised the Ronaldo camp last summer he would do whatever it took to sign the Manchester United winger.
And that means Madrid could have to pay £80m to trigger an alleged buy-out clause in his contract.
Calderon was so confident of landing the 24-year-old, he agreed to pay him 30m Euros (£26m) if a deal was not clinched by the end of June. Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, it is claimed in several Spanish newspapers, is said to have agreed to pay the same amount to Real if his client backed out of the move.
United have always denied a deal is already in place to sell the World Player of the Year, while Ronaldo would be unable to negotiate with another club without the permission of his Old Trafford paymasters.
Controversial Calderon resigned as Real president in January and was replaced by Vicente Balouda following allegations of vote-rigging for the confirmation of the budget.
On Monday, Florentino Perez returned to run the club and it is understood he has instructed lawyers to challenge the legality of the pre-contract agreement with Ronaldo’s advisers.
Perez’s plan is to embark on drawn-out negotiations with United, hoping the Premier League champions might be forced to accept £60m to £70m as the transfer window draws to a close.
When asked about the secret agreement, Perez said: ‘I’ve been here for two days and no-one has told me about this.”
His vice-president Fernando Tapias refused to deny the outlandish claim on Spanish radio station Cadena Copè.
It was put to him: “I don’t know what is worse – if the club buys him he will cost 90m euros and if they don’t then it’s 30m.
He replied: “Yes but that is not our fault. He is a great player.
“That the price is exorbitant is also true. Maybe it is down to FIFA to put a 50m Euros cap on transfer fees. ”
Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon reportedly promised the Ronaldo camp last summer he would do whatever it took to sign the Manchester United winger.
And that means Madrid could have to pay £80m to trigger an alleged buy-out clause in his contract.
Calderon was so confident of landing the 24-year-old, he agreed to pay him 30m Euros (£26m) if a deal was not clinched by the end of June. Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, it is claimed in several Spanish newspapers, is said to have agreed to pay the same amount to Real if his client backed out of the move.
United have always denied a deal is already in place to sell the World Player of the Year, while Ronaldo would be unable to negotiate with another club without the permission of his Old Trafford paymasters.
Controversial Calderon resigned as Real president in January and was replaced by Vicente Balouda following allegations of vote-rigging for the confirmation of the budget.
On Monday, Florentino Perez returned to run the club and it is understood he has instructed lawyers to challenge the legality of the pre-contract agreement with Ronaldo’s advisers.
Perez’s plan is to embark on drawn-out negotiations with United, hoping the Premier League champions might be forced to accept £60m to £70m as the transfer window draws to a close.
When asked about the secret agreement, Perez said: ‘I’ve been here for two days and no-one has told me about this.”
His vice-president Fernando Tapias refused to deny the outlandish claim on Spanish radio station Cadena Copè.
It was put to him: “I don’t know what is worse – if the club buys him he will cost 90m euros and if they don’t then it’s 30m.
He replied: “Yes but that is not our fault. He is a great player.
“That the price is exorbitant is also true. Maybe it is down to FIFA to put a 50m Euros cap on transfer fees. ”
