If Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo were motivated by money the recent claims of a huge offer – to both club and player – to go to the Chinese Super League would have been taken.
The recently crowned Ballon d’Or winner – for a fourth time – was subject of an astonishing ?300m offer from an unnamed Chinese side with them willing to pay Ronaldo ?100m a year to play for them.
However, the riches of China didn’t tempt Real into selling and weren’t persuading the best player in Europe to chase the money – unlike some, whatever they might tell you!
Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes revealed this offer when speaking to Sky Sports Italia recently, via these quotes from Sky Sports.
‘From China, they’ve offered ?300m to Real Madrid and more than ?100m per year to the player. But money is not everything. Real Madrid is his life. Cristiano is happy at Real Madrid and it is impossible to go to China. The Chinese market is a new market. They can buy a lot of players, but then again it is impossible to go for Ronaldo. Cristiano is the best player in the world and best ever. It is normal to have some offers. He won the European Championship with Portugal, it’s like winning the Italian league with Genoa – they were not the favourite.’
Ronaldo – who is preparing to return to action with Real – has followed up his agents comments by making it clear himself he’s not motivated by financial gains.
Well, obviously he wants as much as he can but isn’t prepared to sell out and go to China when he still feels he’s got so much to offer the best club in the world. Improving the Los Blancos fortunes and continuing to prove he’s the best player around is his motivation not money.
The Portuguese was quoted by Egyptian channel On TV – via ESPN – as saying.
‘In my job I try to be the best, and I work for that. So this is important for me, to be the number one, the most valued player, but this is not my motivation. My motivation is to play football, to be the best, and this is what I try to do. I’m looking to money only as a means to become comfortable and independent after I finish football.’
