Real play down record offer
June 2008

Ramon Calderon

Ramon Calderon has denied Real Madrid will break the bank to secure Cristiano Ronaldo's services from Manchester United this summer.

A world record fee has been touted for the Portugal international should The Red Devils surprisingly grant his release from his long-term contract at Old Trafford.

Real currently hold the world record for the highest transfer fee paid when they splashed out £46million on Juventus' Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

It had been suggested Real could be willing to pay up to 100million euros (£80million) for Ronaldo after coach Bernd Schuster urged the club to "pay what is necessary" to seal the deal.

However, Calderon insists the Spanish giants will never pay £80million to bring a player to Santiago Bernabeu.

"There is no 'Cristiano Ronaldo case' because Manchester do not want to sell," he told Marca.

"In any case, Real Madrid will never pay 100million euros for anybody."

Meanwhile, Ronaldo's fellow Portuguese team-mate Nani has urged his compatriot to stay at Old Trafford and resist the lure of Madrid.

"Of course I want him to stay," stated Nani. "When I arrived he was a great support."