Barcelona have played down reports linking them with a bid for
Cristiano Ronaldo after newspaper reports emerged of a meeting with
the player's agent.
Barca's director of football Txiki Begiristain met Ronaldo's
representative Jorge Mendes during Tuesday's friendly international
between Portugal and Brazil at Emirates Stadium.
The pair were reported to have met at a London hotel prior to the
match and were then seen sat together in the stands.
The pictures have inevitably heightened speculation that Barca are
doing their upmost to land a player that Begiristain freely admits
interests the club.
But he denies that there was anything untoward about his meeting
with Mendes.
"Jorge Mendes is my friend, I've known him for years," said
Begiristain. "It is logical we are interested in Ronaldo but I must
stress we are a big club and we will work in a proper way."
Mendes claimed recently that, despite interest from Barcelona, his
client's priority remained the negotiation of a contract extension
at Old Trafford.
