According to News of the World, los Merengues are
demanding £17million from Ronaldo after he recently announced that
he would not be moving to the La Liga giants this summer.
The Portuguese superstar seemed a certainty to leave Old
Trafford after ignoring Sir Alex Ferguson's messages while at
EURO 2008 and reiterating his life-long desire to ply his trade at
the Santiago Bernabeu.
But the United boss has repeatedly insisted that his prize
attacker will be going nowhere, and that indeed seems to be the
case after the two met for crunch talks earlier in the
week.
However, the matter is not done and dusted just yet, as
Madrid are now claiming that the 23-year-old agreed
terms with them and had a clause inserted in his contract that
entitled the Spanish champions to a hefty sum of compensation.
The continental press reports that Real president Ramon
Calderon will only forego the fee if an agreement is struck that
will see Ronaldo head to los Blancos next summer.
Such an outcome remains highly unlikely, however, given
relations between the two clubs have disintegrated throughout the
saga.