Real Madrid have stepped up their attempt to sign Cristiano
Ronaldo by meeting his agent and agreeing a course of action that
directors at the Santiago Bernabéu believe will end with the
Portugal winger becoming their latest galáctico Franco Baldini,
right-hand man to Madrid's sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic,
and the man who negotiates all of the club's signings, met Jorge
Mendes in London last Wednesday.
Sources at Madrid claim that during the meeting, Baldini confirmed
that Ronaldo is their No1 priority for next season and informed
Mendes that they would be prepared to meet Manchester United's
asking price for the winger - expected to be somewhere in the
region of 80m (£54m). They would also be prepared to beat any
contract offer made by Manchester United, matching Ronaldo's salary
to that of the galácticos: 6m (£4m) a year, after tax.
While he warned Baldini that United would fight to keep Ronaldo,
Mendes apparently told him that the winger is keen to join Madrid
and would reject the contract offer currently on the table at Old
Trafford. Ronaldo's wage demands on a new United contract are
believed to be in the region of £140,000 a week.
Madrid also insist that Mendes has reassured them that Ronaldo will
force an exit from Old Trafford, although a second meeting with Sir
Alex Ferguson is expected in the next 10 days.
