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Manchester City target Cristiano Ronaldo
New Manchester City owner Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim is considering an audacious £135 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window.
Al Fahim, who through the Abu Dhabi United Group took control of City yesterday, after buying out Thaksin Shinawatra, has already broken the British transfer record following the £32.5m capture of Robinho from Real Madrid.
With money no object, City have been linked with a host of players - including Kaka, Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres.
Indeed, it is believed a bid for Torres was made yesterday before the transfer window closed, but Liverpool rejected it out of hand.
However, Al Fahim's top target is Ronaldo, who was the subject of concerted interest from Real Madrid this summer.
Sir Alex Ferguson refused to bow to pressure from Real and, for a brief period, the player himself and sanction a transfer to the Bernebeu.
And he is even less likely to permit the club's star player from swapping his red shirt for blue and joining United's city rivals.
Al Fahim, though, is not a man who takes no for an answer, and is ready to test the water with a bid that will shatter the world record.
Arabian Business magazine has quoted Al Fahim as saying: "Ronaldo has said he wants to play for the biggest club in the world, so we will see in January if he is serious.
"Real Madrid were estimating his value at $160m (£90m) but for a player like that, to actually get him, will cost a lot more, I would think $240m (£135m).
"But why not? We are going to be the biggest club in the world, bigger than both Real Madrid and Manchester United.
“We’re not just going to spend money on anyone, but if we can get the biggest players in the world, and of course if the manager wants them, then we will get them."
It is thought a transfer fund totalling around £250m has been allocated for the next two seasons, by which time it is “expected” that the club will be as successful on the pitch as Man United and Chelsea.
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