Should United sell Ronaldo - Perspective

[falcons71]

I suppose this has been debated over all sports since the beginning of competition, is a team better off with a great player or 3-4 good-great players.

If rumors are to be believed, and Madrid offers Robinho and 40 million euros for Ronaldo shouldn't United make the move? Ronaldo is certainly at worst a top 3 player in the world and his impact this past season can not be understated, and the media on such a move would be unimaginable. But, United has been linked with Berbatov, Micah Richards, and Huntelaar, all top quality players, and if the money from Madrid could finance 90% of those moves would that be a good decision? Could Berbatov, Robinho, Huntelaar, Rooney, Tevez, Nani, etc... and Richards assisting the back 4 make up the production lost?

Of course this is speculation and predicated on not only Madrid, but Spurs, City, and Ajax agreeing to sell - what do you guys think?

[Harry Boulton]

Two ways of looking at this. "Yes they should", and "no they shouldn't". Here's my take on this:

1) Yes they should. Why?

Because he's not bigger than the club. Man Utd were a great club long before he came along and will, in all likelyness, continue to be one long after he's long gone. He should not be allowed to humiliate the club, especially in public, with shameless flirting with Real Madrid. By selling him the club would be making a bold statement that no one, even the best player on the planet, can throw their weight around OT. He is replaceable, regardless of what people say, and with the staggering price on his head can be replaced with plenty of change in reserve. He obviously has eyes elsewhere, some might say, and there's no point in keeping a player who doesn't want to be there whilest paying him upwards of £100,000 a week. He should thrown out, rather than sold on, with his ears still ringing from the hairdryer whilest we pocket up to 8 times what we paid for him 5 years ago. For £12m, we've already had value for money.

2) No he shouldn't. Why?

Because of the principle. The lad signed a new contract last summer paying him £125,000 a week allegedly. If a contract that isn't even a year old can be walked out on, what is the point in contract law at all? We may as well have a free for all. The lad signed with us and should be made to honour that contract as well as repay the faith and time invested in him by both Sir Alex Fergsuon and the coaching staff at Man Utd. What's more, Real Madrid need to be told. Just because they want a player does not mean they can just have him, on a whim. He is contracted, and we don't want to sell. In a sensible world, that shoud be the end of that. If he didn't want to stay, he shouldn't have signed for 5 years. He can acheive everything with us that he can at RM and more. If money is his motive, then he has to learn that it's not what makes the world go round. What's more, Man Utd have not had a World Player of The Year since George Best and it would rile a nuimber of fans, me included, to see Ronaldo crowned as the worlds finest player whilest wearing Real Madrid colours. That honour, if you like, belongs to Man Utd who not only bought him, but brought him up to that level.


Real Madrid have met their match in this one and I don't think they can just take Ronaldo off us in the same way they pinched Figo, Ronaldo and Zidane from Barca, Inter and Juventus. We have just been crowned European champions, which is a powerful bargaining tool.

[sharky007]

Depends on the amount of money offered, if say around 60m as been quoted then i'd take it and buy sergio aguero?

[huhe888]

Buy low, sell high.

If Real Madrid CF were to offer USD$100 million in transfer fee, then Manchester United Football Club PLC needs to "take the money and run".

There is no possible way Cristiano Ronaldo will be worth more than USD$100 million in the transfer market a year or two from now.

I say:

SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL...

[JaredSS07]

There is no possible way Cristiano Ronaldo will be worth more than USD$100 million in the transfer market a year or two from now.

How much is he worth to the club during the season? Without Ronaldo can ManU do the double again? I doubt it. Also, I wonder how much he brings the team in revenue through shirts and other stuff.

[Harry Boulton]

Real Madrid have said that, commercially, they rreckon over the course of his career Ronaldo could be woreth up to 500 million Euros in commercial and footballing value.

I say we take them for every penny they've got if that's the case........

[huhe888]

Real Madrid have said that, commercially, they rreckon over the course of his career Ronaldo could be woreth up to 500 million Euros in commercial and footballing value.

I say we take them for every penny they've got if that's the case........

Cristiano Ronaldo can and will get hurt sooner or later.

Real Madrid CF is delusional if it believes it can make EURO 500 million from Cristiano Ronaldo.

SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL...

[thejuggernaut]

Any other business in the world, and scum are indeed a business, it would have done and dusted by now.

Principle is of no significance.

[falcons71]

At this point, United should sell him. It may seem like caving to media pressure a bit, but is one player worth this much attention and distraction. Does United win the double last year without Ronaldo, absolutely not, but could they win it in the future with players acquired after the Ronaldo sale, of course they can.

As another poster mentioned, an injury is very possible and I agree his impact on commercial revenue is significant, but I doubt either side, United or Madrid are struggling in that department.

The question remains, are United better off with Ronaldo and the circus his career has become or with Madrid's money and potentially a few other impact players?

[JaredSS07]

How many parallels can be made between Ronaldo's situation and when Beckham was sold?

[falcons71]

And Ronaldo was purchased with funds from the Beckham deal, right? So who knows what SAF may have up his sleeve with the kind of money Madrid is talking.

[Harry Boulton]

How many parallels can be made between Ronaldo's situation and when Beckham was sold?


Not many, apart from the two clubs involved. At least, that's my take.

Beckham was sold because SAF wasn't convinced that Beckhams mind was focused on the football side of things, but on the celebrity side and also that he was possibly not as effective as he had been previously. It was a fairly well judged decision because, as someone has already said, Beckham is now proving him right in the MLS.

With Ronaldo we are talking about the best player oin the planet, hands down. Not Kaka, not Messi or Fabregas or Drogba. Ronaldo is hands down the best player around at the moment and neither Fergie or the club are willing to consider a sale. Beckham, on the other hand, was almost thrown out on his ear at the time.

[Makandal]

There's a lot of talk from ManU camp about how mad they are that Real Madrid try and buy a major player under contract from ManU. Really? Isn't what ManU, and many other clubs do? If Ronaldo's dream is to play in La Liga, so be it. Let him go and cash in your check. Let's stop the talk about contract. Team sell players under contract to other teams all the time. But if a player under contract wants to move to another team, it's wrong?

[Pazarius]

I think the thread title needs re-interpreting:

"Should United sell Ronaldo - Perspective"

Yes, I think United should sell Ronaldo some perspective. He needs it badly.

[chrizzah]

It was a fairly well judged decision because, as someone has already said, Beckham is now proving him right in the MLS.

There were four years between playing for Man U and playing in the MLS. That's a pretty decent chunk of his career. To argue that SAF's decision was vindicated, you'd have to label his time at Madrid as mediocre and I don't think that was the case. I think you're talking with your heart because of your affinity for your club. There's no doubt that moving to the MLS is all about being a Hollywood celebrity; but judging from his time at Madrid, United would have gotten plenty of good football out of him. He may have had stretches of playing less, but lack of focus during that time was not really a problem and his performance and attitude for Madrid right down to the final day was very professional.

[Harry Boulton]

Beckham was sold because Fergie wanted his team to play differently. Looking at the way Man Utd play now, and how they played when Beckham was there, it is obvious why Fergie wanted rid of the player in playing terms. His ability to influence games has been steadily on the wane for a while now.

He still makes telling contributions, which I'm always quick to point out to those who knock him unduly. But he's not been a consistantly world class performer since his first couple of years at Real Madrid.

Personally I'm a huge fan of the guy. I think he works hard and technically he's still one of the best strikers of a ball in the world. But the game is now a very athletic one and Beckham lacks both the physical strength and the pace to really stand out. That's my take anyway.

[Jono-NZ]

Depends on the amount of money offered, if say around 60m as been quoted then i'd take it and buy sergio aguero?

Because Aguero has stated a number of times that he wants to stay at Atletico and help the club become successful (to win trophies). Also the proposed fee would have to be ridiculous they payed like 18-20mil to get him.

It would take a huge figure to make the owners/president/whatever of Atletico take a second look at a player who is most likely going to be the star of that club for many years to come.

[chrizzah]

Beckham was sold because Fergie wanted his team to play differently. Looking at the way Man Utd play now, and how they played when Beckham was there, it is obvious why Fergie wanted rid of the player in playing terms. His ability to influence games has been steadily on the wane for a while now.

He still makes telling contributions, which I'm always quick to point out to those who knock him unduly. But he's not been a consistantly world class performer since his first couple of years at Real Madrid.

Personally I'm a huge fan of the guy. I think he works hard and technically he's still one of the best strikers of a ball in the world. But the game is now a very athletic one and Beckham lacks both the physical strength and the pace to really stand out. That's my take anyway.

I was taking issue because it sounded like you were saying that SAF thought Beckham lacked focus and that the move to MLS proved Beckham had lost his focus. As you said in your second post, in the end it was a good bit of business for the club, but not because of a lack of focus on Beckham's post.

[stevem3411]

giving ronaldo up for a few very good solid players doesnt make sense to me. Why? because united is already filled with solid players, they have quality players already on the bench at every position. Bringing in more players that they already have on the bench (nani, anderson, carrick, saha, ect) would probably just cause pproblems bc that would cause more quality players who deserve to start in any league, to sit the bench.
My point is that they have arguably (IMO without question) the best club in the world right now, so why fix what isnt broken? Wait until there is a real problem, then do something about it. Sure, he may get hurt and he may not ever have this good of a season again, but hes way to young to say hes reached his peak.
Without him this year they probably wouldnt have won the champions le agure or the premiership, and with out him next year they probably wont win either, even if they do sign robihno, or whoever else, they will not be as strong a team as they are with him. Simply put, that is what it comes down to. DONT FIX WHAT ISNT BROKEN. Thats why sir alex isnt looking to stock up too much with too many new players. His team is fine just the way it is.

[jonnyb0000]

I dont think it mark a prgressive step for the club by selling an irreplacable player, however if he doesn't want to play for the club they have little choice . Withtthe transfer fee being speculated utd could bring in three top class players that wont move the team forward in other directions.