By Nick Akerman, Featured Columnist
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Football super agent Jorge Mendes has claimed it will be "impossible" for Manchester United to lure Cristiano Ronaldoaway from Real Madrid.
Mendes, who brokered Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao's transfers to Old Trafford, is also the agent who brought Ronaldo to the Theatre of Dreams in 2003. His client is heavily rumoured to be heading back to United soon, reported by Guillem Balague of Sky Sports, but Mendes believes Ronaldo will "retire" with Los Blancos.
Speaking in a rare interview with Spanish television show Elpartidodelas12, reported by Mundo Deportivo and via Dave Wood of the Daily Mail, Mendes suggested United fans shouldn't hold out for their hero's return:
Cristiano holds United dear to his heart because he was there six years. But now he just thinks of the Real Madrid and he will always be there, and he is thrilled. People know that it is impossible to get Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Real Madrid.Ronaldo is the best player ever. He keeps improving and while he has affection towards Manchester United, he wants to stay at Real Madrid. He is happy there, he has a great relationship with the president, and has a long contract: he will retire at Real Madrid.
Mendes continued by saying, "There won't be any player as good as him for the next 500 years." His insight is likely to be pivotal, as if Ronaldo's agent doesn't believe a deal can go ahead, it's highly likely it can't. Is Mendes just trying to quash rumours? Is he trying to add more value to a deal that is already likely to cost copious amounts? Is he just being entirely honest? Perhaps a little of each.
United can absolutely sign Ronaldo if his financial value is no issue to the club. Balague previously stated "United have got all the finances in place to get him," but it's more likely a question of whether an ageing Ronaldo will be worth it.
Wood believes Ronaldo's transfer fee and wages could cost United £140 million across four years. This number would be risky now UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules are in play, particularly if United qualify for the Champions League.
Considering Ronaldo is 30 in February and has recently struggled through a string of injury problems, a deal of that stature doesn't make sense, especially when so many other areas of United's squad should be addressed first. Those long-awaited two world-class centre-backs and a destructive midfielder could be snapped up for £60 million.
The Guardian's David Conn casts doubt over Mendes' legitimacy, saying the agent is "serially involved in the third‑party ownership of players in apparent breach of FIFA regulations," but these claims are yet to be acknowledged by the governing body.
What is certain at the point, however, is that Mendes "has made a huge, unthinkable amount of money, and made himself indispensable, too, as an orchestrator, an oiler of the wheels," perConn. This is something we can see start to come into motion with his Ronaldo quotes.
United supporters will have long dreamed of Ronaldo's return. Judging by Mendes' comments, this is as far as the Portuguese star's reappearance will ever come. The player could enjoy a leading role in United's ascension back to the European elite, but it will certainly be difficult to drag him away from a Madrid side who achieved a famous cup double last season.
The player's wishes remain vital here. Ronaldo may need to force a move if it's what he desires. A return to United would most likely be the beginning of a hefty tenure with the club, where he could become a coach after retiring from first-team duties. It is maybe only this length of commitment that would see the side pay over the odds, much like they did with Wayne Rooney's latest contract.
Ronaldo is an all-time great, there's no doubt about it, and it would be a major shame to never see him grace the red shirt once more. But that said, United shouldn't be held to ransom by the player, Madrid orMendes when trying to tie up a deal. If Ronaldo seriously wishes to play for Manchester United again, he will need to be a pivotal figure in making it happen
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