Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has told Paris Saint-Germain they will need to meet Cristiano Ronaldo’s €1bn (£725m) release clause in order to sign him.
Ronaldo, 30, had been a reported target for the Ligue 1 champions this summer and reports had emerged suggesting Madrid had rejected a world record £110m bid from PSG for the striker last month.
PSG’s desire to sign Ronaldo is arguably one of football’s worst kept secrets, but they would need to shatter the history books to sign him claims Perez.
“Here in Spain everybody has it easy because, unlike in England, a release clause exists. If you want to sign a player you pay his buyout clause and get him” Perez told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.
“In the case of Cristiano it’s €1,000m (£725m). If they don’t pay that, they don’t want him. Whenever I’ve wanted a player, I’ve gone for him playing the release clause.
“It’s just impossible [to see Madrid without Ronaldo,” he continued. “He is our most emblematic player, the best player in the world. It doesn’t enter our mind to sell him.
“Of course I like [Barcelona’s Lionel] Messi, but I prefer Cristiano Ronaldo a lot more.”
Madrid lavished a then-world record £80m to sign Ronaldo from Manchester United in 2009 and since then only Messi (232) has scored more goals in Europe’s top five leagues than Ronaldo (225).
For more stats on Cristiano Ronaldo, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
