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| He's finally off - after all the speculation [GALLO/GETTY] |
English Premier League champions Manchester United have accepted a world record transfer offer for Cristiano Ronaldo from Spanish club Real Madrid.
United received an unconditional offer of $131 million for Ronaldo, and unlike in the last off season, are willing to see their 24-year-old star performer join a major European rival.
The Portugal winger spent last June pushing for what he called at the time a "dream move'' to Madrid, but any transfer was blocked by United manager Alex Ferguson, who travelled to Lisbon to persuade his player to stay at Old Trafford.
That did not stop Ronaldo being linked with Madrid and Ferguson's irritation boiled over in December when he said he "wouldn't sell Madrid a virus,'' describing the club as a "mob.''
But now a world-record bid - even if it means losing those feints, stepovers and thunderous free kicks - appears too hard to resist for a club whose debts have spiralled to nearly $1 billion.
United said: "At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.
"Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June.''
'Dream move'
Ronaldo, who was under contract until 2012 at United, plunged his future into doubt after losing the Champions League final to Barcelona last month, despite having vowed to stay at United in the build-up to the match and even in a broadcast interview conducted with himself.
The return of Florentino Perez as Madrid's president has changed things as he looks to spend to return the Spanish side to the glory days of its "galactico'' era.
Kaka was signed from AC Milan earlier this week for a reported fee of around $92 million.
But the offer for Ronaldo would eclipse that and the $103 million they paid to get former France striker Zinedine Zidane from Juventus in 2001.
Madrid will hope Ronaldo's arrival could strengthen their position as world football's richest club based on revenue.
According to accountancy firm Deloitte, Madrid earned 512 million dollars compared to second-place United's 455 million.
On the pitch, though, Ronaldo would be joining a club which just had their first trophyless season in three years, while United won a third straight Premier League title, the Club World Cup, and the League Cup.
Bad influence
Ronaldo finished United's top scorer again, despite not matching the 42-goal haul in the 2007-8 campaign when Ferguson's side won the Champions League and the English title.
However, Ronaldo was viewed by some as a divisive influence at United, openly challenging Ferguson's authority.
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In the last weeks of the season he angrily swiped at some TV equipment while shaking his head in clear annoyance when substituted against Manchester City.
When he missed a shot against Wigan, he answered Ferguson back from the pitch while shrugging his shoulders.
Former United manager Tommy Docherty said Thursday that relations were clearly strained with Ferguson, as they had been with David Beckham before he was allowed to join Madrid in 2003.
"You can't have disharmony,'' said Docherty, who was manager between 1972-77.
"With 80 million (pounds), they should cut their hands off with Ronaldo and run and give Real Madrid the problem.''
A potential replacement is plying his trade a few miles north of Manchester in Wigan: 23-year-old Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia, who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford by British media.
United could also spend part of the windfall on paying the 41 million dollars required to turn Carlos Tevez's loan deal, which expires at the end of June, into a permanent contract.
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