Am I surprised (that Ronaldo is joining Real Madrid)?
No, because I knew it would happen at some stage. “We already knew that Real Madrid had a pre-contract agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo and that it was only a matter of time. “I don’t know exactly when that agreement was made, but I do know it was in place.” UEFA PRESIDENT MICHEL PLATINI “These excessive transfers are happening almost every day. It is very puzzling at a time when football faces some of its worst ever financial challenges. “These transfers are a serious challenge to the idea of fairplay and the concept of financial balance in our competitions.” PFA CHIEF EXECUTIVE GORDON TAYLOR “It sets a standard that so many clubs will be unable to compete with – and if you do try to compete (financially with Real Madrid) you are building massive volumes of debt. “That’s one of the reasons Manchester United couldn’t refuse the bid – they were bought on the back of a leverage bid. They owe money and they’ve got interest to pay. “Football isn’t immune to the world’s problems and, as suc
