Reports coming out of England and Spain are suggesting that Real Madrid is seeking a payment from Cristiano Ronaldo in the sum of £17million, after Ronaldo’s recent announcement that he will be staying at Old Trafford

The Spanish Champions are claiming that Ronaldo signed a contract with a clause that would compensate Real Madrid with the large sum if Ronaldo did not play for them this season.

Reports also claim that Real Madrid will forgive the fee if Ronaldo plays for Los Merengues next summer.

Although relations between Manchester United and Real Madrid are strained at best, the possibility of Ronaldo moving to Spain next year seems to be inevitable, as Ronaldo has the opportunity to buy out his contract under FIFA’S new rules.

It is well known that the Red Devils will not like to see Ronaldo moving to Real Madrid any time soon, but the Europeon champs may not have much of a say in the matter.

Wesley Sneijder spoke out last week on the possible acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo, saying that Ronaldo’s high salary would cause jealousy between some Real Madrid players which would lead to a division of players possibly spilling onto the pitch, but Real Madrid captain, Raul Gonzalez does not echo those same sentiments.

Gonzalez told media in Madrid that Ronaldo’s high salary would not disrupt the Spanish Champions.

“Our good form will continue whether Cristiano comes or not and at whatever price. Nothing can break the unity in this squad,” said Raul.

“This club is the best thing that can happen to any football player, to live in a city where Madrid transcends all else and you can be a part of it.  I don’t see why he would cause problems. We already have a great squad, with a lot of big players and it is obvious that if a player of a very high level joined he would be welcome and helped to adapt.”

Teammate Jose Maria Guitierrez also agreed with the captain, saying that

“I think Cristiano is the best player that could be incorporated into any team, and I suppose we would be delighted to have him here,” the Madrid midfielder told the club’s website. “These types of signings are complicated, whether they succeed or not. It’s normal that the press talks a lot about great players, he is one.”

FIFA president, Sepp Blatter spoke out on the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga in an interview given to Sky Sports.

He told Sky sports that too many clubs were signing players to long term contracts in order to prevent them from moving to other clubs.  . “I think in football there is too much modern slavery, transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere,” Blatter said. “And we are trying now to intervene in such cases.”

The new FIFA regulations allow players to terminate their contracts prematurely if they play less than 10% of their club’s matches during one season.

The players also have an option to walk out on their contract after two or three years, depending on their age, as long as the club is compensated.

When Blatter was asked about the situation that has befallen Cristiano Ronaldo, his response to Sky Sports was that Manchester United should let the player go. “If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found,” he said. “Because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it’s no good for the player and for the club.”

Cristiano has responded to Blatter’s inference to slavery by saying that those comments were correct. “I completely agree with the FIFA president.  The president is correct, but I do not want to say more.”

Ronaldo told media that there is no agreement with Real Madrid, and that he still does not know where he will be playing next season.

Sepp Blatter also encouraged Real Madrid and Manchester United to sit together if Ronaldo wants the move to the Spanish Champions.

“The important thing is we should also protect the player,” Blatter told Sky News.

“I’m always in favour of protecting the player and if the player wants to leave, let him leave.”

Cristiano Ronaldo underwent surgery at a hospital in Amsterdam to correct the problem in his right ankle on Monday, July 7.

Hospital spokesman, Johan Kortenray told ‘The Associated Press’ “that the surgery went well, and he is expected to go home tomorrow”. He declined to give further details on the surgery or when Ronaldo would be back in training, but mentioned that Manchester United would most likely release a statement later in the day.

Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at the Academic Medical Center on Sunday night to see surgeon, Niek Van Diijk, after the green light had been given last week by United and Portugal team doctors.

Cristiano Ronaldo had been playing in pain since April, which he revealed to the public after Portugal were knocked out of the Euro Championship.

No one knows what kind of effect his surgery or recovery will have on the much speculated transfer to Spanish Champions, Real Madrid.

We want to wish Cristiano Ronaldo a speedy recovery and although we don’t think that he’ll need to rely on any type of medical alert technology due to the number of professionals that he has at his disposal, we hope he takes it easy on the ankle.

Former French International, Zinedine Zidane reported to Media on Sunday regarding Real Madrid’s interest in Cristiano Ronaldo. Saying that the Spanish Champions are ready to pay a record breaking fee to bring the young star to Spain.

“Real would not be frightened of paying a large sum of money because in the past every time they have wanted a player they have managed to bring him to Madrid,” Zidane told a news conference.

“Obviously, it will be up to the player. If he wants to go, one day or another he will be at Real Madrid.”

The record for the highest paid transfer fee is held by Real Madrid when they paid 78 million euros to Juventus in 2001 for Zidane, who touched on the subject by saying he hopes Real Madrid pay more for Ronaldo than they did for him, that it would be a weight lifted off his shoulders.

Ronaldo for Ballon d’Or

“I think he’s had a superb season, he won the (English) championship and the Champions League,” said Zidane, who retired after the 2006 World Cup final, at an Adidas event.

“I think he stopped at the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 because facing him was a great Germany team who caused (Portugal) a lot of problems.

“It doesn’t take anything away from the success that he’s had all year, I think he’s not far away from winning the Ballon d’Or and it would be deserved.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments to media on Thursday following Portugal’s quarter final match versus Germany sparked Manchester United FC to post a ‘Not For Sale’ bulletin on their website. The statement on their website, yesterday said: ‘Further to Friday’s press speculation about where Cristiano Ronaldo’s future lies, the club has moved to reiterate its stance on the matter: United are not listening to offers.’

The statement posted on the Manchester United Official website hasn’t stopped Ronaldo from reiterating a few words of his own on the subject.

He stated to the Times that playing for Spanish Giants Real Madrid has always been a dream of his and he simply could not pass up the opportunity, using Scolari’s move to Chelsea as an example.

‘For me it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it.

‘That is why he took advantage of his change. Other people have to take advantage of opportunities, too.’

When Ronaldo was asked if Manchester United would be unhappy with him, he stated that

‘It is my opinion. That is why I don’t mind if people get upset.

‘It is my decision. It is what I want. I don’t know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think.’

It seems that the inevitable will happen and Ronaldo will be a member of Real Madrid in the near future, unless Manchester United decide to use Ronaldo as an example and refuse the sale of the World’s greatest footballer to Madrid on the sole basis of spite. If that is their decision, It will undoubtedly rob the world of watching supreme skill on the pitch as well as rob Manchester United of acquiring great players from the transfer fee, or a possible package put forth by the Spanish Champions. Should The Red Devils decide to sit Ronaldo for the remainder of his four years, It will undoubtedly deter many future stars from considering Manchester United as a team to play for.

Ronaldo and Manchester United fans alike can only hope that the club does the right thing for both parties involved, and let a player who wants to leave, leave.