Utd in €75m Ronaldo summit! They meet Nike to plot return for Real goal ace
Posted Saturday, March 09, 2013 by The Sun
MANCHESTER UNITED met with Nike officials yesterday to plot a mega bid for Cristiano Ronaldo.
An Old Trafford return would cost at least €75million.
And it would reunite Ronaldo with Wayne Rooney, who Alex Ferguson has vowed will be a United player next season.
The Nike representatives flew in to London to also talk about the renewal of their shirt sponsorship agreement with the Red Devils.
But top of the agenda was talks about how they could help the club get Ronaldo.
Nike is desperate to get the Portuguese star back to the biggest football club that wear their logo.
They currently sponsor Ronaldo in terms of boots and sportswear but are frustrated that he runs out in an adidas shirt with Real Madrid every week.
They believe their global brand would be even stronger with him back in a Nike United shirt.
United would need to put together a deal of €75m plus a player like Nani to tempt Real to sell this summer.
But they could have to go further for a player they sold to Real for €94m almost four years ago.
Nike want to help in any way they can.
Their current 13-year shirt deal with United is worth €350m and expires in 2015.
United would be looking for at least double that figure and maybe even three times the next time around.
Nike could even renegotiate the deal early so United have the cash this summer.
There could also be a greater incentive written into any new sponsorship contract for Ronaldo based on him being at United.
The club also know with Ronaldo back in a United shirt the value of future sponsorship deals with other companies would increase.
SunSport has already revealed Ronaldo would be willing to snub €500,000 a week from Paris St Germain to take half that amount at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo was bowled over by the reception he received from United’s fans on Tuesday ahead of the Champions League clash with Real.
He scored what proved to be the winner — and refused to celebrate.
The 28-year-old has two years left on his deal in Madrid.
He has refused to accept a new contract — and the Spanish giants know his value will tumble as his deal runs down.
An extra incentive for Ronaldo could be linking up with Rooney again.
Boss Fergie axed Rooney for Tuesday’s game with Real. But he says that Rooney understood his decision and that there is no problem.
Ferguson said: “There is absolutely no issue between Wayne Rooney and I.
“To suggest we don’t talk to each other on the training ground is absolute nonsense.
“He understood the reasons for not playing him and that was completely tactical.
“Wayne will be here next year. You have my word on that. I have no issues at all with the player and he’ll be involved on Sunday.”
Ferguson faces his old foe Rafa Benitez in the FA Cup tomorrow.
Benitez is struggling in his interim managerial role at Chelsea but Fergie said: “I’m not going to kick anyone when they’re lying down. It’s not my style.”
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