Ronaldo: Will he stay or will he go?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s ego is as impressive as his goal tally and commitment is a trait he seemingly pays little regard to. Just ask some of his former girlfriends.
Joking aside, his flirtation with Real Madrid threatens to get out of control and Manchester United appear to be constantly on the brink of losing their life-long sweetheart.

The Spanish club, aided by their public-broadcasting propagandists Marca, are treading a fine line between over-indulgently praising the dazzling midfielder and tapping him up. President Ramón Calderón’s most recent statement, encouraging Ronaldo to force his way out of the club, has finally triggered a response from the man who needs him most.

Sir Alex Ferguson accused Real Madrid of having “no moral issues” and launched an angry tirade at a club who possess a bizarre superiority complex, seemingly based on the glow the players’ egos emit from the Bernabéu rather than on any tangible grounds.

Manchester United have outdone Madrid in virtually every department over the last several years, regularly picking up domestic league trophies and now topping that with a Champions League triumph. Real Madrid have not seriously challenged in Europe for half a decade.

Ferguson is intent on keeping Ronaldo, whose value is estimated around £60m, “Real use this Marca newspaper as a vehicle to unsettle players. Real Madrid are not the only club interested in Ronaldo. But the others are not saying so. They don’t get into this nonsense. Calderon makes that great statement ’slavery was abolished many years ago’. Did they tell General Franco that? Give me a break.”

The Scot’s wit shone above any genuine lingering fear that this Portuguese phenomenon will walk away.

Ronaldo’s motivations for joining Madrid are unclear. Assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, who spent a year as coach there, has already warned the 23-year-old that the glittering image which surrounds the club is fallacious while the set-up in Manchester is far more stable and productive than of their counterparts in Madrid, where fresh coaches arrive every year or two and success is inconsistent. Surely the promise of better weather is not what’s driving Ronaldo away?

Currently the best player in the world and destined for the Fifa World Player of the Year award amongst others, Ronaldo initially declared he would stay before briskly changing his tune, Steven Gerrard style.

He first told ITV that he would stay, oddly reminiscent of what Gerrard asserted following Liverpool’s Champions League triumph of 2005, before intimating his future lay elsewhere, “I don’t promise nothing. I don’t promise nothing to my mum, I don’t promise nothing to supporters. We are going to see in the next two weeks, I don’t say I make a decision.”

Perhaps he is bargaining for more money in a new contract with his current employers, but the uncertainty is unhelpful as Manchester United start planning for next season. There is no way they will let their star leave, but if Ronaldo’s head continues to be turned by Madrid’s very public offerings, they might have an unhappy player begging for out on their hands.

Predicting the future is ill-advised, but it is becoming increasingly clear that one day soon Ronaldo will head to La Liga, probably with Real Madrid. Until that time, Manchester United appreciate they will have to keep refuting the rumours, keep their most talented performer content, and most importantly of all, keep giving him a reason to stay.

The Premier League is the place to play football – more money, more silverware. As the new kings of Europe, United can look down at Madrid with a cocky smirk, but if the trophies dry up Ronaldo will be given opportunity and motive to request a transfer.

For now, however, United hold all the aces and could not be in a stronger position to declare that Ronaldo is all theirs, and for keeps.

Prospective lovers will be made to wait for their turn.

Should Ronaldo be sold for the right price?
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