• Forward's move seen to be too close to ex-president
• Kaka and Franck Ribéry new preferred targets for club
* Sid Lowe in Madrid
* The Guardian, Thursday 21 May 2009
Sir Alex Ferguson last night revealed that he was "trying to make sure" that Cristiano Ronaldo does not join Real Madrid and the Scot may have found an unexpected ally in Florentino Pérez. The favourite to win July's presidential elections at the *Santiago Bernabéu appears to be cooling on signing the Manchester United winger.
Pérez remains prepared to return to Ronaldo should other options break down but his primary targets lie elsewhere, with Kaka and Franck Ribéry at the head of a list of preferred signings that also includes Xabi Alonso and David Villa.
The Guardian reported in April that Ronaldo's representatives had struck a deal with the then Madrid president Ramón Calderón to bring the Portugal international to the Bernabéu. But Calderón was ousted following a vote-rigging scandal and the deal would not be legally binding for the incoming president.
Pérez need not fear repercussions if he did not follow through on Calderón's promise to sign Ronaldo because the deal – struck between Calderón on behalf of Madrid and Jorge Mendes on behalf of Ronaldo without the agreement of United – would contravene Fifa transfer regulations and have no legal basis.
At his unveiling as a presidential candidate last week, Pérez announced that he would have to "do in one year what would normally be done in three". He is keen to make more than one marquee signing and believes the amount likely to be needed to prise Ronaldo from Old Trafford is prohibitive. Calderón briefed that he could sign the winger for about ¤80-100m (£70-88m) and, desperate to add a star name, was prepared to commit a season's budget to just one signing. Pérez is not.
Doubts also remain about United's willingness to sell. Despite his silence on specific targets, Pérez has made great play of the close relationship he enjoys with Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani. No such link exists with United.
MIlan's Kaka is an attractive, cheaper and more accessible proposition for the latest Madrid galáctico, who would allow for resources to be directed towards other players. Reports in the Spanish press that Pérez had been unimpressed with Ronaldo's strop after being substituted against Manchester City 11 days ago can be read as a smokescreen, a timely excuse.
Although Pérez wants to sign star *players, he has been persuaded by his future director general, Jorge Valdano, and Zinedine Zidane, who looks likely to play a role within the sporting *directorate, of the need to strengthen elsewhere. Zidane has been outspoken in his desire to see his compatriot Ribéry, the Bayern Munich forward who is wanted by Manchester United, at the Bernabéu; Valdano is particularly keen on signing Alonso, the Liverpool midfielder. Both Rafael Benítez and Alonso have recently insisted there are no plans for the 27-year-old to leave, and the club yesterday said he was "not for sale", but the Liverpool manager may be receptive to an offer in the region of the £18m he wanted for Alonso last summer.
Signing Kaka would offer another *significant political advantage: his arrival would flag up a new era at the club and lay bare the difference between the discredited Calderón and Pérez. Kaka is the player Calderón promised to sign but never did.
Buying Ronaldo would send a rather more ambiguous message. Calderón *reiterated his claim to have struck a deal with Ronaldo even after he had been ousted from the presidency, insisting that his successor could execute the deal. The point he was trying to make was clear: even if Ronaldo joins a club whose *president is Pérez, I was the man that brought him to Madrid. Pérez does not want to be seen to endorse Calderón's deal, nor does he wish to have a player even vaguely seen as Calderón's signing. In part, it is that rationale that has made Pérez keen to find a buyer for Arjen Robben, whose signing was the one presidential promise Calderón delivered, after failing with Kaka and Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas.
Pérez, having based much of his return on the claim that it is time to bring "ethics" and "honesty" back to Madrid after three turbulent years under Calderón, does not want to make a *promise that he cannot then keep. So far he has remained tight-lipped over *signings but strategic leaks to the Spanish media have been used to gauge the opinions of fans and to prepare the ground for future announcements. Pérez's project, *starting with his sporting director, coach and at least one signing, is expected to be unveiled next week.
Real's top targets
Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich
Forward £60m
Chances of joining Real 5/10
Kaka Milan
Midfielder £52m
Chances of joining Real 8/10
Xabi Alonso Liverpool
Midfielder £18m
Chances of joining Real 6/10
David Villa Valencia
Striker £35m
Chances of joining Real 7/10
• Kaka and Franck Ribéry new preferred targets for club
* Sid Lowe in Madrid
* The Guardian, Thursday 21 May 2009
Sir Alex Ferguson last night revealed that he was "trying to make sure" that Cristiano Ronaldo does not join Real Madrid and the Scot may have found an unexpected ally in Florentino Pérez. The favourite to win July's presidential elections at the *Santiago Bernabéu appears to be cooling on signing the Manchester United winger.
Pérez remains prepared to return to Ronaldo should other options break down but his primary targets lie elsewhere, with Kaka and Franck Ribéry at the head of a list of preferred signings that also includes Xabi Alonso and David Villa.
The Guardian reported in April that Ronaldo's representatives had struck a deal with the then Madrid president Ramón Calderón to bring the Portugal international to the Bernabéu. But Calderón was ousted following a vote-rigging scandal and the deal would not be legally binding for the incoming president.
Pérez need not fear repercussions if he did not follow through on Calderón's promise to sign Ronaldo because the deal – struck between Calderón on behalf of Madrid and Jorge Mendes on behalf of Ronaldo without the agreement of United – would contravene Fifa transfer regulations and have no legal basis.
At his unveiling as a presidential candidate last week, Pérez announced that he would have to "do in one year what would normally be done in three". He is keen to make more than one marquee signing and believes the amount likely to be needed to prise Ronaldo from Old Trafford is prohibitive. Calderón briefed that he could sign the winger for about ¤80-100m (£70-88m) and, desperate to add a star name, was prepared to commit a season's budget to just one signing. Pérez is not.
Doubts also remain about United's willingness to sell. Despite his silence on specific targets, Pérez has made great play of the close relationship he enjoys with Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani. No such link exists with United.
MIlan's Kaka is an attractive, cheaper and more accessible proposition for the latest Madrid galáctico, who would allow for resources to be directed towards other players. Reports in the Spanish press that Pérez had been unimpressed with Ronaldo's strop after being substituted against Manchester City 11 days ago can be read as a smokescreen, a timely excuse.
Although Pérez wants to sign star *players, he has been persuaded by his future director general, Jorge Valdano, and Zinedine Zidane, who looks likely to play a role within the sporting *directorate, of the need to strengthen elsewhere. Zidane has been outspoken in his desire to see his compatriot Ribéry, the Bayern Munich forward who is wanted by Manchester United, at the Bernabéu; Valdano is particularly keen on signing Alonso, the Liverpool midfielder. Both Rafael Benítez and Alonso have recently insisted there are no plans for the 27-year-old to leave, and the club yesterday said he was "not for sale", but the Liverpool manager may be receptive to an offer in the region of the £18m he wanted for Alonso last summer.
Signing Kaka would offer another *significant political advantage: his arrival would flag up a new era at the club and lay bare the difference between the discredited Calderón and Pérez. Kaka is the player Calderón promised to sign but never did.
Buying Ronaldo would send a rather more ambiguous message. Calderón *reiterated his claim to have struck a deal with Ronaldo even after he had been ousted from the presidency, insisting that his successor could execute the deal. The point he was trying to make was clear: even if Ronaldo joins a club whose *president is Pérez, I was the man that brought him to Madrid. Pérez does not want to be seen to endorse Calderón's deal, nor does he wish to have a player even vaguely seen as Calderón's signing. In part, it is that rationale that has made Pérez keen to find a buyer for Arjen Robben, whose signing was the one presidential promise Calderón delivered, after failing with Kaka and Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas.
Pérez, having based much of his return on the claim that it is time to bring "ethics" and "honesty" back to Madrid after three turbulent years under Calderón, does not want to make a *promise that he cannot then keep. So far he has remained tight-lipped over *signings but strategic leaks to the Spanish media have been used to gauge the opinions of fans and to prepare the ground for future announcements. Pérez's project, *starting with his sporting director, coach and at least one signing, is expected to be unveiled next week.
Real's top targets
Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich
Forward £60m
Chances of joining Real 5/10
Kaka Milan
Midfielder £52m
Chances of joining Real 8/10
Xabi Alonso Liverpool
Midfielder £18m
Chances of joining Real 6/10
David Villa Valencia
Striker £35m
Chances of joining Real 7/10
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