Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón has insisted that the
Spanish giants only pursued Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer because
the player told them that he wanted to join them.
Los Merengues' supremo recognised that it could have
damaged the club's relationship with the Premier League oufit, but
stated that he only pushed because he thought the Portuguese star
would do the same.
The Ronaldo saga lasted throughout the pre-season transfer window
and dominated sports pages around the world, only for the whole
thing to collapse when United stated that they would not
sell.
Now Caldéron has reflected on the relentless chase and admitted
that the only did it because he believed that he was helping the
player to make his dream come true.
"We have left that, it has been a very big story, which we didn't
provoke," he told Sky Sports News. "The player said he
wanted to come here, a dream to come to Real Madrid and we received
and we were happy to know that.
"After that I talked to Manchester [United] but [chief executive]
David Gill was very clear and said they did not want to sell at
all.
"We want to have a good relation with all the big clubs in Europe
and Manchester [United] is one of the best and I would like to have
a good relationship with them forever, and they said for the moment
no.
"I know the media in general like to give excitement to their
readers and listeners and Cristiano Ronaldo is a fantastic player
and he has won the Golden Ball - and I congratulate him on that and
I wish him the best - regardless of where he is going to be in the
future."