For sale: large north east club with loyal army of fans, Cost: equivalent one Portuguese brat

I know it's been covered but I'd thought I'd add my two cents

80 fecking Million!!!

That's obscene, Madrid break the transfer record twice in a week...and in a recession

Personally I view this as a brilliant bit of business from Fergie - he's got the best out of the boy and he's got way over the odds for him (is Ronaldo 70% better than Kaka?), and he loses a pain in the arse to boot - this continues a long line of big sales that have been lucrative - Beckham, Nistelrooy etc

My concern is two-fold - how will this affect Madrid? Is this level of spending tenable? I appreciate they're financially strong after they got a massive pay-out from the city under Perez but this must put them back into debt, and I doubt this will stop at a mere 136 million, even for one of the world's biggest clubs these are unprecedented new levels of spending and we don't know how it will affect such a club long-term, although I'm sure they'd get bailed out anyway

Secondly how will this impact on the wider footballing world? Will we see the giants race ahead in spending levels? - If that happens I can envisage somebody collapsing, especially considering the debts of Liverpool/United, maybe Man City will play along and 15 clubs will get left even further behind and football will become even more ridiculous

I know we say it all the time, but now clubs really are starting to feel the pressure and these new records may push them to the wall

But hey, maybe we'll see every premier league club become the plaything of an actually wealthy Arab oil tycoon

As for United - they'll live, as long as they keep Rooney they won't need a new superstar, but next season should be closer

United Accept £80m Bid For Christiano Ronaldo

Madrid are set to break the World Transfer Record, set by them in the last week by getting Christiano Ronaldo for £80million.

Should United sell Ronaldo for £80million? In my opinion, absolutely.

I think the real debate is exactly who will fill his golden boots at Old Trafford?

Man Utd's Anderson Being Interviewed

Ronaldo 40 Yard Cracker

Jose - The Special One

There has, for at least ten years now (probably longer) been something of a gravitational pull towards the Premier League of the very best and most special talents. There has been the odd exception that has bypassed England and found glory in Spain and/or Italy, possibly because of climate or culture; but we have been telling ourselves for sometime that overall we have the best league in the world. I feel the same, I think the Premier League is the best, and probably most supported league in the world.

As time goes on, it feels more and more likely that the very top players will at some point play in our league. Where as Zidane did not, Ronaldo has and Kaka quite possibly will at some point. Some players have been billed as world beaters, but faced with a Premier League Season been revealed as anything but.

Part of the progression has been that we have attracted superstars with the prospects of cash and trophys. When these superstars were eventually bettered, or perhaps passed their peak the Premiership' elite clubs have managed to largely replace and often supersede their outgoing talents. But the progression has always been forwards. When players like Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelroy left these shores, it could be spun that the leagues top billing had gone, but instead we have the seen Ronaldo turn into a goal scoring machine, we have Rooney who plays with his heart on his sleeve, we have the predatorial Fernando Torres, and the lethal Didier Drogba, to name but a few.

Superstar's may have left but the talent pool has continued to get better and better.

There is though, one small exception to this. When Jose Mourinho left Chelsea, and English Football, he took a little piece of English Football with him. The league lost one of the best and brightest managers in the World. He is, in fact one of only four managers to have won the Premier League. The Premier Leagues loss has been Serie A's gain. I want to see young English managers get a chance in the league, but I want them pitted against the best the world has to offer, and Jose is one of the best.

I hope that Jose does well with Inter Milan in Italy (though I hope Manchester United get past Inter Milan in the Champions League) but I hope also that come the end of the Season he is able to find employment back in the Premier League.

Here, because I know you have missed him too, is a little reminder.

What Man City Are Getting For Their £110m

When you have as much money as Sheik Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan it is completely pointless debating whether their extravagances are warranted or not. So here is a glimpse of what they are going to get with the Sheik's money.



Note: I wonder if Man City have though this through. If City pay £110m for Kaka, they may inadvertently be helping United hold onto Ronaldo in the summer. After all if Kaka is £110m, surely Ronaldo is worth at least £150m ??

++ Breaking News ++ Christiano Ronaldo Named World Player of the Year by Fifa

So after little speculation, very uncontroversially Christiano Ronaldo has been named FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008. Wikipedia is already updated with the news.

After winning the English Premier League, the Champions League and the Club World Cup with and scoring an unbelievable 43 goals along the way in the 2007/08 season the boy from Madeira has reached the pinnacle of the world game at just 23 years of age.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Christiano Ronaldo has been the outstanding player of the last two years, and it is encouraging to finally see a player from the English Premier League handed the accolade, after having some notable near-misses.

A quick look back the winners since the award began in 1991 reveals perhaps the final hurdle for the Premier League. If they want the reputation for being the globes top league, then there will need to be more winners from the English Clubs. There has never been a winner of English Nationality, David Beckham came second twice (1999 & 2001), and Frank Lampard once (2005). Alan Shearer got third (1996) as did Gary Lineker (1991).

No doubt the award will not have escaped the attention of Real Madrid, who will undoubtedly be talking to the press regarding Christiano in the coming days.

FIFA World Player of the Year winners:
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) Manchester United
2007: Kaka (BRA) AC Milan
2006: Fabio Cannavaro (ITA) Real Madrid
2005: Ronaldinho (BRA) Barcelona
2004: Ronaldinho (BRA) Barcelona
2003: Zinedine Zidane (FRA) Real Madrid
2002: Ronaldo (BRA) Real Madrid
2001: Luis Figo (POR) Real Madrid
2000: Zinedine Zidane (FRA) Juventus
1999: Rivaldo (BRA) Barcelona
1998: Zinedine Zidane (FRA) Juventus
1997: Ronaldo (BRA) Inter Milan
1996: Ronaldo (BRA) Barcelona
1995: George Weah (LBR) AC Milan
1994: Romario (BRA) Barcelona
1993: Roberto Baggio (ITA) Juventus
1992: Marco van Basten (NED) AC Milan
1991: Lothar Matthaus (GER) Bayern Munich

Christiano Crash

One of my favourite movie lines is from the film "The Rock" and is spoken by a long haired grungy extra. After Nick Cage has rolled a "borrowed" yellow Ferrari under a tram, completely wrecking it, the extra looks on in amazement and says "Hey dude, you just f****d up your Ferrari" to which Nick Cage replies "It's not mine".

I only mention this because I thought of it when I saw this on Sky News.