Man Utd’s Ferguson would only spend £60m on Ronaldo
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he would only spend anything close to £60million if it was to bring Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club.
The Portugal star left Old Trafford for Madrid in July last year and has enjoyed brilliant form at the Santiago Bernabeu following a few stellar seasons with United.
His name is constantly linked with a return to Manchester and although it is generally pure speculation, his former boss has left the door ajar by saying he is the only player he would spend exorbitant amounts of money on.
“It's not my way to buy a player for £60m," said Ferguson. "There's no point pursuing that argument. I would not contemplate signing a player for that amount.
"No. I'd pay £60m to take Cristiano Ronaldo back. But that's it,” he said when asked if he would pay that much for Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
Ferguson added that he believes the current transfer market is not necessarily a good reflection on just what players will produce when a club prepares to spend high amounts of money on them.
“The transfer market is inflated," he said. "Agents get in touch to say this player will take a drop in wages from £10m to £8m. Very good of them! Crikey!
"You could bring in a player for £40m but then there's salary and tax. You are then talking £80m. We like to get players who will develop at the club because the long-term view has to be important.
"People were worried last summer when we took Michael Owen (on a free transfer) and didn't spend £50m on some other player, but I wasn't prepared to do that."