The billionaire businessman at the centre of the Manchester City takeover has suggested the club could be willing to make a world record £135m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, the owner-elect of Manchester City, expects his group’s takeover of the club to have the same impact as Roman Abramovich’s buy-out of Chelsea five years ago.

Manchester City have been taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, according to a statement released on behalf of group representative Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim said today.