In January 2007, six months after the change in the presidency, new contacts between Jorge Mendes and Jose Angel Sanchez occurred. Ramon Calderon received good news, the representative confirmed that the Portuguese wanted to leave United. (…) “I know there’s interest Madrid but I can not talk about it. Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz know and have forbidden me to speak of Real Madrid, “said Ronaldo, with an alleged ambiguity that everyone could decipher. Ferguson responded immediately. “We sell players we want to sell and in no way Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving.” First assault.

(…) In March 2007, Ronaldo insisted the strategy (…). “Everyone knows I love Spain. I would like to play there someday (…)”. A month later extended his contract with United until 2012 and included, something unusual in a contract of a player of the Premier, a buyout clause of 75 million euros if Madrid or another big club decided to bet for him. On one condition was necessary confidentiality, no one could tell anyone that Ronaldo had a price. “I do not like English clubs … Before I die I want to see my son in Madrid,” even said Dolores in January 2008 daily AS (…). His words did not sit very well at Manchester United. In this maternal desire public statements made with Ronaldo Calderon joined. The Madrid press published that Madrid was willing to pay 120 million for the player, but Madrid knew that with 75 sufficed.

(…) The United decided to send a letter to Ramon Calderon in which he begged him to stop talking about Ronaldo (…). But Madrid had a powerful weapon. Ronaldo was willing to further tighten the rope. It was the summer of 2008 (…). The strategy created by Mendes and Cristiano, and suggested from the offices of the Santiago Bernabeu, passed by acknowledging that wanted to sign for Madrid. (…) Two days after the Champions League final in Moscow, Alex Ferguson raised the tone of the debate. “Calderon speaks, speaks Schuster, use the mark as his vehicle to destabilize players,” he said. That summer of 2008, AS reported that Real Madrid would pay clause Ronaldo. And the Scot finally got in the ring (…). Alex Ferguson arranged a trip to Portugal to finally abort the attempt by the Spanish club (…). The Scot was clear that it could not budge. (…) This was much more than a sale, it was to maintain his authority in the eyes of the world. (…) I had tried the previous weeks a Machiavellian strategy. Bracing against the tessitura of not being able to convince the Portuguese for him to stay, he contacted Barcelona to be his next destination. Anything but the Real Madrid. But Ronaldo was very clear where I wanted to go. (…) Sir Alex reached a gentleman’s agreement that had already contrasted with Mendes (…). “I have to say one thing. I will not let go this year. In return, if he behaved well in the next twelve months, if I gave enough to the Madrid club and returned with a record, Sir Alex promised to let him go.