Real Madrid would not sell Cristiano Ronaldo for “his weight in gold”, insists club president Florentio Perez.
The Portuguese forward sparked exit talk this summer when it was reported that he wanted out of the Santiago Bernabeu after being accused of tax fraud by Spanish authorities.
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Speculation dragged on through the Confederations Cup, until Ronaldo appeared to put an end to the rumours by stating a desire to compete for more major honours with Real.
The former Manchester United star then declared at his tax trail that he wanted to return to England at some stage, fanning the transfer flames once more.
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Real, though, have never had any intention of parting with the 32-year-old – the club’s record goalscorer – with Perez telling fans in Italy, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport: “Sell Cristiano? Never. I wouldn’t sell Cristiano if they paid his weight in gold.
“Only the great players bring in great fees.”
Perez was speaking in Stromboli, having taken a break from Real’s preparations for Tuesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Manchester United.
Ronaldo has been included in Zinedine Zidane’s squad for a meeting with his former club, with it possible that he could make his first appearance for the Blancos since the 2017 Champions League final.
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Much has happened since that outing, with Real’s ability to retain the services of their most prized asset standing in stark contrast to goings on at arch-rivals Barcelona.
The Camp Nou outfit have tied Lionel Messi to a new contract, but have seen Brazilian superstar Neymar head to Paris Saint-Germain in a record-breaking €222 million deal.
Perez’s comments regarding Ronaldo could be viewed as a sly dig at Barca, with Real having shown that they are capable of fending off interest in afar regardless of how much noise is made.
