Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has seemingly conceded defeat in his pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo after admitting 'the most likely scenario' is that the winger will stay with Manchester United.
Calderon will meet United chief executive David Gill on Monday, where it is
expected the English Premier League side will issue an official 'hands off'
warning to Real.
The Real president told the BBC earlier today the two clubs had not met to
discuss a possible transfer of the Portugal star, and claimed he never wanted to
cause problems between United and their player.
Later, Calderon revealed the Spanish champions' frenzied pursuit of Ronaldo may
now be at an impasse.
'He must love Manchester,' Calderon told Marca. 'Once Manchester decide they
want to sell and they tell us this, then we will say that we're talking about a
transfer.
'But today that's not happening and therefore this is a situation that may end
up as it is now, as nothing, and Cristiano Ronaldo will continue at Manchester
next year.
'At the moment, that's the most likely scenario. They (United) don't want to
sell so we can't do anything.'
True to form, Calderon admitted he held out some hope of bringing Ronaldo to
the Spanish capital, adding that there may be time to convince United to change
their mind before the August 31 transfer deadline.
'Theoretically there's still time (for things to change),' he continued.
'There are two months left until the end of August if Manchester get in touch
with Real Madrid and make us an offer.
'But still we don't know if it would be possible to buy him even if they did
want to sell.'
Reports in Spain suggested United were set to test Real's resolve by offering
Ronaldo for around £80million - nearly £12million more than the £67million Real
were reportedly prepared to pay.
Calderon admitted that for a player of Ronaldo's calibre such sums were not out
of the question, but insisted the figure was only speculation as the two clubs
had never discussed terms.
'This is speculation which may be reasonable given what has happened in the
major transfers in football history,' he said.
'But we never got round to talking about amounts of money because Manchester
never gave us the opportunity to do so.
'He (Ronaldo) said that he would like, that it is his dream, that he would be
extremely excited to come to play for Real Madrid, but it is a desire of the
player that cannot be realised without Manchester's consent.'
