Manchester Utd star toys with fans’ emotions once again
Just a few short weeks ago, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo was telling the world how he would love nothing more than to go and join his dream club:
“I would like to play for Real Madrid, but only if it is true that they are ready to pay what Manchester United ask of them, however it does not depend on me.”
Yet Ronaldo’s sister Elma has been approached by The Sun in the posh Madeira boutique he bought for her - aptly named ‘CR7′ - and she says her brother wishes to stay with the club who developed him into a world class player:
“Cristiano wants to keep playing at Manchester United […]He tells me he likes Manchester United and everybody here wants him to stay there.”
Either Ronny’s sister has got the wrong end of the stick and was trying to make an aggressive journalist leave her store by telling him what he wants to hear, or he is playing some very irritating mind games. Whatever the case, the club and the player need to stop dicking around and make a clear decision.
Do you think Ronaldo will be lining up in red or white at the start of the season? Let us know with a vote and comment below…
Today’s transfer rumours, brimming with metrosexuality
If the picture above is to be believed, Princess Frank has already packed his favourite makeup travel case ahead of a big new move to Milan. They’ll really dig his all-pink beachwear in the fashion capital, but will he go running to the open arms of The Special One or stick around to let Big Phil beat him like a red haired stepchild?
Frank Lampard to Inter
Internazionale confirmed Lampard as their number one transfer target yesterday, and now Mourinho and Scolari are both dangling club badges in front of his face, forcing him to choose which one to kiss.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: We think he may love Mourinho a little more than Chelsea
Ronaldinho to Chelsea
Even though he’s still contracted to Barcelona, Deco has taken it upon himself to become Chelsea’s travel agent, by advising Ronaldinho to steer clear of smelly Manchester and move to petal-scented West London.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Can see it happening
Ivan Klasnic to Wigan
After scoring the winner for Croatia last night, Klasnic has decided it may be time to plunge for the glitz, glamour and endless excitement of Premier League football by signing for…Wigan.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Bigger clubs may come calling
David Bentley to Aston Villa
Bentley wants to leave Blackburn to get a shot at a club playing in the Champions League but he said he’d settle for UEFA Cup football. Surely he doesn’t want to play in the Intertoto with Villa though?
Scolari wants every single big name player in the world, apparently
The newspapers should just ‘fess up and admit it - they haven’t a clue who which players Luiz Felipe Scolari would like to bring to Chelsea. Naturally, they have all assumed the Brazilian will want to load the squad with his fellow countrymen - The Sun fancy Ronaldinho to come for £20m and £120k a week (a damn site cheaper than the supposed Manchester City asking price), while The Guardian believe Kaka will be strolling over to West London, in exchange for a £60m slice of Abramovich’s bottomless kitty.
The Guardian also claims that Fernando Torres could become subject to Big Phil’s fiery temper next year - the unlikely move could ease Liverpool’s financial woes, but the Kop faithful would probably sooner burn a couple of Americans at the stake than let their prettyboy striker go. That said, the Spanish press linked him with a move to Chelsea over a month ago.
Not wanting to be left out in all the madness, middle England housewives’ favourite The Daily Mail have waded in by suggesting that Franck Ribery is also ‘flattered by their formal approach’.
Other players linked with the club since Scolari’s arrival include Barcelona’s Deco and Samuel Eto’o, and also Spurs target David Villa.
For a man who is currently engrossed in the process of winning a European Championships and has only been formally linked with Chelsea for two days, this seems like an awful lot of transfer inquiries.
So which rumours do you believe? Let us know who you think will be at The Bridge next season with a comment below.
Man Utd gaffer locked out of Portugal’s training facility
Cristiano Ronaldo has hardly been handling his delicate transfer situation with much maturity thus far, but the winger has decided to take the playground mentality to new levels by shutting off communication with Sir Alex.
The Times claim that the United boss was ready to march over to Switzerland to visit Portugal’s training camp for a good hairdryer sesh, but the Portuguese has told his team-mates that Fergie is not welcome.
Ronaldo is said to be furious with Ferguson’s insistence that the Glazers would rather see him rot in the reserves than sell him and as such has stomped his feet, crossed his arms and started pouting. According to a source within the Portugal camp, Ronaldo said he would “scream and scream until he was sick” if he even caught a glimpse of his current club manager.
And so it seems the romance we never thought would end is well and truly dead. It’s time for Ronny to climb atop the huge pile of Sir Alex’s former lovers - maybe Beckham and Keane will give him a leg up. Still, at least it’s not the manager doing the dumping this time.
Dutchman endorses former foe to annoy former employer
May 2006: Ruud has a training ground spat with C-Ron, which ends in him telling the young Portuguese to “Go crying to your daddy”. Ronaldo’s father had died earlier that season. The feud sparked his transfer to Madrid.
5th June 2008: Van Nistelrooy becomes the latest Real Madrid staffer to try and coax Cristiano to Spain:
“He’d be an important signing for Madrid because this is a club which signs the best players in the world, and that’s what Cristiano is.
“Cristiano could bring a lot of things to this club. He’s young, he has everything and a long sporting career ahead of him.
“For Madrid he would be a great signing.”
Oh Ruudy, the lengths to which you are willing to go to wind up Sir Alex are impressive…
A few months ago, the papers claimed that C-Ron’s mummy would love nothing more than to see her little soldier playing in a Real Madrid shirt:
“I don’t like English teams but I know I have to like them because he [Ronaldo] is at Manchester. But for me… Real Madrid. Of all the foreign clubs, Real Madrid is the best. Before I die I would like him [Ronaldo] to play for Real Madrid. I would really like that and then I could die, it wouldn’t matter.”
Now, the tricky winger has hinted that his mother’s anti-English wish could be granted, as he will consider his future after the Champions League final. But do you think he will go? Votes and comments below, please.
WAG gives strong indication that contract battles are nearly over
There’s a whole lotta kerfuffle over Alex Hleb and his contract buyout, but his wife - former WAG of the Day and Belarusian popstar Anastasia Kosenkova - has given the strongest indication yet that Professor Wenger is losing his battle to keep the midfielder.
According to a source at her fancy-pants Esporta gym, Anastacia cancelled her membership yesterday. Could a toned starlet with such hard-to-maintain abs live without her plush workout space? Of course not, but there are plenty of high end fitness clubs in Northern Italy…
While on a radio show this week, Kevin Keegan was asked who he would like to sign to strengthen his tormented squad in the summer. Without even the slightest crack of a wry smile, he said: “I’d fetch Thierry Henry back to England.”
Mr Ashley certainly has the cash to take advantage of Barcelona’s summer clearout, but there are a host of other clubs hoping to obtain the Frenchman’s signature. Could Fergie step up the Wenger mind games by bringing him to Old Trafford? Will AC Milan unite him with Shevchenko? How about brand new MLS Franchise the Seattle Sounders - they’re looking for splash their dinero on a big European name or two.
It has emerged this morning that King Kev is keen to bring Atletico Madrid’s Jose Antonio Reyes to St James’ Park, to fill the left wing void that Damien Duff has been struggling with. Apparently, Manchester City are also interested in bringing him back to the UK.
Keegan spent a few years away from football before his second coming, so he may have missed the fact that Reyes left Arsenal in 2006 because he was homesick and found the weather far too cold. In London. Which is, on average, several degrees warmer than Newcastle each year. Oh dear.
