Ronaldo Follows Beckham....Making Room for Stern ;-)

[1989]

Stern's salary looks like it's going to be big! 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/football/europe/6265939.stm

Ronaldo heading for Madrid exit
Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Ronaldo has been told he can leave the club.

Ronaldo, 30, is the second big name to be told he is surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu after David Beckham agreed to move to LA Galaxy in August.

"The situation is different to that of Beckham as Ronaldo still has another year on his contract after this one," said club president Ramon Calderon.

"But he is going to be inactive because the coach has made it clear he doesn't count on him."

Ronaldo has started only three league matches under Italian coach Fabio Capello, who has been focusing on bringing in new blood since taking over in the summer.

The three-time World Player of the Year, who has scored only one goal this season, missed Sunday's 1-0 victory over Real Zaragoza with a leg injury.

Following the win, Capello celebrated by making an obscene gesture towards a small section of the crowd that had been calling for his head - although he did later make an apology.
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AC


"I want to apologise to everyone but this has been going on since the first day I arrived. here. There are two people behind the dug-out who are continually offensive," he said.

"The gesture was towards those two but, as the coach of Real Madrid, I should apologise," said Capello, outraged that his abusers this time had a sign that said 'Ronaldo stay, Capello get lost'.

But it is the Brazilian who is heading for the exit and Ronaldo could follow Beckham to Major League Soccer following speculation over a move to New York Red Bulls.

The former Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Inter Milan forward has also been linked with a return to Italy with Juventus and a move to Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.

Al Ittihad president Mansour Al Balwi said on Friday: "There is definite interest. We have not negotiated with him but very soon we will start the process of getting in contact with him."

Calderon added: "We have to find an exit that's good for him.

"I know sporting director Predrag Mijatovic has had conversations with some clubs and that the player also has offers but we'll have to wait and see whether it will be now or in June.

"It would surely be better for the club and him if he went if there are offers. If not, he will stay with us."

[ribbit]

look liks AC Milan is interested as well:

AC Milan courting Ronaldo: report

CBC Sports
First David Beckham, and now Ronaldo appears ready to jump ship.

The Brazilian striker, who is surplus to requirements at Real Madrid, has talked contract with Italian club AC Milan through his agent Fabiano Farah, sports daily newspaper As reported Tuesday.

Milan was offering 22 million euros ($33.3 million Cdn) for the three-time world player of the year but Madrid also wanted an option on the star midfielder Kaka.

Ronaldo spent five years in Milan with rival Inter before joining Madrid in 2002.

Ronaldo would prefer to leave Madrid during the January transfer window. His contract doesn't expire until June 2008.

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"It would surely be better for the club and for him if he were transferred if there are offers. If not, he will stay with us," Madrid president Ramon Calderon told Onda Radio on Monday following comments by coach Fabio Capello that Ronaldo is no longer welcome on the team.

Ronaldo helped Madrid win the Spanish league in his first season, but since then, the club has won nothing in its longest streak without silverware since the early 1950s.

Ronaldo scored 82 goals in 120 Spanish league matches in his first four seasons. In the European Champions League, he has 13 goals in 32 games.

This season has easily been the Brazilian's worst. He didn't play his first match until October following an operation on his left knee.

Since then, Ronaldo has one goal in seven league appearances made mostly as a substitute, and missed another month's action with a left knee injury. In the Champions League, he has three appearances as a substitute but hasn't scored.

Calderon said Ronaldo's circumstances couldn't be compared to those of Beckham.

On Saturday, Capello said the former England captain wouldn't play again for Real Madrid after announcing his departure at the end of the season.

Capello's comments came on the heels of Beckham's announcement last week that he would move to the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer in August after his contract with Madrid runs out. The five-year U.S. deal is reportedly worth $250 million US in salary and commercial endorsements.

"Ronaldo's situation is different to that of David Beckham's as he [Ronaldo] still has another year left after this one," Calderon said.

Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad is also reportedly interested in signing Ronaldo to team him up with Luis Figo, with whom he has played both at Madrid and FC Barcelona. However, the 30-year-old Brazilian is said to favour a move to one of Europe's leading clubs.

[ZionYouth]

If ronaldo move tuh AC milan that is when i will watch more italian football....

[trinbago]

He should come to NY!!

[triniairman]

He should come to NY!!

stueps the MLS is shit my opinion and beckham rub them blind lol