English outfit The Independent has reported that AS Monaco will bid a staggering €100 million ($133 million) for Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
If the report ends up being true, the amount would break the world transfer record, set when Madrid purchased Ronaldo from Manchester United for €94 million ($125 million) in 2009.
The French Ligue 1 club, funded by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, has already spent €129 million ($172 million) on player transfers this summer by scooping up the highly-coveted Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid plus Portugese duo Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez from FC Porto.
Monaco could run into a brick wall at Madrid, however. Despite the departure of high-profile manager Jose Mourinho, Madrid president Florentino Perez has stated he will not sell Ronaldo, no matter the price.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has a 2 year contract and is the best player in the world” Perez told Spanish media outfit Marca. “I wouldn’t sell him, not even for €1 billion.”
Despite rumors that he’s unsettled, the player has also gone on record saying he wants to re-up his contract, which has two seasons remaining. “I haven’t spoken to anyone yet” the Portugese winger said following a defeat of Russia in World Cup qualifying. “I know we’ll reach an agreement on a new contract. The most important thing right now is the national team.”
The bid, if true, would represent a new standard in world soccer in a number of ways. First, it would put the French league even further into contention with other top leagues for the best players. Paris Saint-Germain last season challenged financially with top clubs, displayed by the purchase of players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva.
It would also set a new precedent for foreign billionaires to buy up struggling clubs with a decent history and inject a ridiculous amount of money looking for immediate results.
What Monaco has done this transfer window wouldn’t even begin to compare with a bid of this magnitude. New heights would be reached.