Madrid have rejected a formal offer of 120 million euros from PSG for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to leading Middle Eastern newspapers. The deal would have been the most expensive transfer in football history, well ahead of the 101 million euros Madrid paid for Bale.
According to newspaper Rotana, the owners of PSG met with Madrid president Florentino Pérez in Doha on Saturday 4 July and made the bid to buy the Portuguese superstar, with the idea that the change of coach at Real could lead to the striker wanting a change of scene, particularly with the club lavishing attention on Bale.
The offer was made possible with cash from the Qatar Investment Authority, owned by the country’s royal family, and the fact that UEFA had lowered the Financial Fair Play restrictions on the French club.
According to newspaper Mlaib, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was closely following news of Ronaldo being unsettled at Real (incidents including: Ronaldo feeling unprotected by the club in the backlash following his birthday party in the wake of the thrashing at the hands of Atleti, the player’s failure to understand why doctor Olmo was maintained as head of the club’s medical services, or his confusion at Benítez paying Bale a visit but not doing the same for him, when he’d scored 61 goals in 2014-15). PSG were keen to fish in these turbulent waters.
According to Arabic Sports, PSG’s president was met with a clear “no” from Florentino, who simply referred him to Florentino’s 1,000 million buy-out clause. Cristiano is under contract to 2018 and earns 21 million euros (though his wages would be the least of the sheikh’s problems). Madrid stopped the first attempt, but PSG are still keen...