Took us to the cleaners. We could've sold him for 100m, plus Wesley and Robben. We farked up all around with that deal. Things like that impacting on us to this day I tell you.

We added pretty much 50% on the world record.

Couldn't have done much more

Amazing! Should be Real's number 1 by the end of this calendar year.

comment by Shinjisshin (U1700)
posted 1 minute ago
We added pretty much 50% on the world record.

Couldn't have done much more
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes we could've. David Beckham made real madrid a fortune when we sold him, probably they broke- even the same day he arrived in Spain. Having that experience, and Fergie knowing full well the potential of the boy at the time, we could've asked for much much more. The great man said it himself.

Fúck sake, the fee pulverised the world transfer record. Back then most viewed it as a ludicrous price to pay and an offer that couldn't be rejected.

As an aside, he's drawn level with Santillana, in something like 340 games less.

comment by scholayScholes (U13961)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Shinjisshin (U1700)
posted 1 minute ago
We added pretty much 50% on the world record.

Couldn't have done much more
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes we could've. David Beckham made real madrid a fortune when we sold him, probably they broke- even the same day he arrived in Spain. Having that experience, and Fergie knowing full well the potential of the boy at the time, we could've asked for much much more. The great man said it himself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I believe I read somewhere that we sold him for £25m and they made £200m of him.

He could potentially go second this season if he rediscovers his pre-Xmas form. He's 15 behind Di Stefano.

On the fee it's all hindsight. At the time it was a ridiculous fee and most couldn't believe we got £80m.

I remember all the cries about it smashing Zidane and Kaka's transfer records.

Nobody could have predicted what a bargain it would turn out to be. At the time people were calling it typical Madrid, more money than sense.

Not that big a deal. He's a world class striker playing every week in a world class team. Obviously he'll go down as one of the greats but there are far more inspirational stories our there in the world of football.

Fans probably were saying that. David Gill and Ferguson knew way better. Actually, anyone who has a sound knowledge of marketing will know, we could've asked for more. We have first hand experience with us selling them Becks.

comment by Robb Phoenix (U20351)
posted 58 seconds ago
Not that big a deal. He's a world class striker playing every week in a world class team. Obviously he'll go down as one of the greats but there are far more inspirational stories our there in the world of football.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Like what else? The lad is on course to break Rauls' record. Took him like 20 years to score that many.

Ronaldo at his best is not a patch on Messi at his best imo. He's brilliant but just not quite as brilliant as Messi. He also plays in a team who is built around him, which he requires

Evidently they didn't know better or they'd have to more.

Robb has a point

Ronaldo wanted to leave.

Real knew that.

Any chance of getting anymore than the world record plus 50% went out of the window when he said he wanted to leave one year before; if indeed there ever was any chance of us getting more.

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Evidently they didn't know better or they'd have to more.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Fergie knew.The man for all he has done for us, did some really bizarre things at the end of his career. We could've easily got Robben and wesley as part of that deal. He was bitter with Robben and why we did not go for wesley is a mystery to this day.

comment by merrysupersteve (U1132)
posted 4 minutes ago
Ronaldo at his best is not a patch on Messi at his best imo. He's brilliant but just not quite as brilliant as Messi. He also plays in a team who is built around him, which he requires
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The difference between the 2 isn't as great as you make it out to be. In all honesty, I think it's just personal preference that decides it. I prefer Messi because I think he's much more of a team player, capable of opening up a defence with a pass - something I don't think Ronaldo is capable of.
But I could certainly see why some choose to believe that Ronaldo is the better player.

Ronaldo needs a team to be built around him to excel, Messi doesn't

comment by merrysupersteve (U1132)
posted 14 seconds ago
Ronaldo needs a team to be built around him to excel, Messi doesn't
----------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2964116/Zlatan-Ibrahimovic-wanted-join-Real-Madrid-perfect-revenge-Pep-Guardiola.html

Absolute rubbish.

Nah think youmare just talking nonsense.

I guarantee not one person said we were taken to the cleaners at the time of selling him. In fact, among most of football it was felt we took them to the cleaners.

As said, this is all convenient in hindsight but has no bearing no the initial transfer as nobody could have predicted he'd go on to (what seems like an inevitability now) smash Real Madrid's all time goal scoring record.

Anyone saying they did is a liar.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

And yet assists and passing somehow always show Messi in a better light. Incredible - not really. Real were playing the other night in the CL. Ronaldo had shot 7 times, the most shots from a team mate amounted to 2. Was he in the best position to shoot and was shooting the right option every time? Of course not. Will that sort of statistic ever change? Of course not.

Would you ever see a stat like that with Messi as the focal point of your attack? Of course not

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I've never done one for Messi. I think that says a lot.



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Messi is a far greater creative hub than Ronaldo. You don't need to be a Barça fan to see that, just a couple of eyes -or maybe even one- will do.

Messi is the best playmaker in the world.

People will say Cesc because he's good at the start of seasons against average teams but in reality it's Messi.