EXCLUSIVE: Cristiano Ronaldo, in conjunction with his agent, Jorge Mendes, has reached an agreement with Ramon Calderon, to sign for Real Madrid in the summer.
It had recently been reported in the English press that the Manchester United winger had struck a similar deal with Florentino Pérez, the former Real Madrid president, and it was suggested that Pérez would use the agreement with Ronaldo as the springboard for his bid to regain the presidency in the forthcoming Bernabeu elections in 2010.
However, these reports were based upon a rumour that had been circulated amongst Madrid media circles and, by the time they appeared in the British press, suffered in translation. It has since been discovered that, rather than having agreed a deal with the former president to sign for the Spanish club in 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo has an agreement with the actual president of Real Madrid, to join the Spanish club in the summer of 2009 instead.
The differences in these details enabled the Manchester United player to state at yesterday’s press conference ahead of the World player of the year awards in Zurich: “My agent does not have an agreement with Florentino.”
The player has chosen his words carefully and it is significant that he named Pérez in his statement, thereby avoiding any actual denial of an agreement with Calderon and Real Madrid.
While this news may contradict many of the reports that have surfaced over the past few days, it confirms what many have suspected since last summer: that Cristiano Ronaldo intends to play for Real Madrid next season.
It is highly unlikely that Ronaldo and his agent would have discussed the details and sealed this agreement with Ramon Calderon, unless the player is now prepared to request a transfer from Manchester United: something that, in spite of his desire to move, he ultimately failed to do last summer. Some would say Ronaldo’s current form and body language reinforce the idea that this season may be his last at Old Trafford – in spite of the apparent statement of commitment on the Manchester United club website. It is clear that the player will not say anything detrimental to his current employers on one of their official media channels.
In spite of Ronaldo’s agreement with Ramon Calderon, the refusal of Sir Alex Ferguson to sell his best player remains a significant obstacle to the transfer to Madrid going ahead. And, if United refuse to sell, then the secret agreement with Calderon remains nothing more than that.
However, the falling value of sterling against the Euro has considerably strengthened the Spanish club’s ability to get their man. In other words, the stronger Euro effectively means that any fee that Real Madrid were prepared to pay last summer has, as far as United are concerned, increased by at least 20%. Furthermore, the new exchange rate also means Real Madrid are now able to compete with any salary the English club can offer the player.
I have gained access to the financial terms of the agreement and while it exists in a purely verbal form at the moment, the player’s lawyers have been fully informed of the details and are aware that penalty clauses have been agreed should either party fail to fulfil their part of the agreement.
Real Madrid are already preparing a sizeable financial package in order to bring the United winger to the Bernabeu. The Spanish club have allocated €85 million for the transfer, plus an additional fund to cover any potential add-ons, clauses and signing fees – and are prepared for the total cost of the switch to go as high as €115 million.
Ramon Calderon has agreed the overall structure of terms with the player and his agent, with the player looking at a €12 million gross salary at the Bernabeu. The agent, Jorge Mendes, could receive around €8 million from any potential deal.
So strong is the belief amongst the Bernabeu hierarchy that Ronaldo will be a Madrid player next season that the club are reluctant to invest significantly in a player for the right wing this January, in spite of this being a problem position for Juande Ramos.
Luis Antonio Valencia of Wigan has been identified as a primary target, but Real Madrid are unwilling to meet the Premiership club’s €17 million valuation that would eat into funds allocated to prise Ronaldo away from United in the summer. However, should Wigan be willing to accept a fee in the region of €12 million for Valencia, then Madrid may consider this a reasonable investment for the remainder of the season, while providing them with a player who will provide excellent cover for Ronaldo, should the United winger move to Madrid at the end of the season.
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©GuillemBalague.com
