Ronaldo forced to reconsider

Ronaldo will have to look elsewhere if he wants a new club after European champions Real Madrid confirmed they would not be making a move for the Inter Milan star.

Real’s sporting director Jorge Valdano admitted the club had been interested in the 25-year-old striker, but that they were no longer interested in bringing ‘Il Fenomeno’ to the Spanish capital.

“Now that Ronaldo has returned to Milan, we have withdrawn our interest in signing him and as far as we are concerned the matter is closed,” he told Spanish sports daily Marca.

“I hope that this statement will now bring an end to all the speculation that has been doing the rounds recently.

“Even if Inter should be ready to sell Ronaldo in the future, I cannot see us making a bid for him.”

Valdano’s words have caught everyone by surprise, not least, it seems, Ronaldo and his advisers.

The former Barcelona player suddenly finds himself in limbo.

While his agent Alexandre Martins claims his client “will stay with Inter until his contract expires in 2006”, Ronaldo’s earlier declaration that he wanted to leave the Milan giants is unlikely to do anything for his popularity among players and fans.

“I went to speak to the club as soon as I returned to Milan,” Ronaldo said in a statement on his personal website.

“I confirmed my point of view, which is the same as what Alexandre Martins told Inter president Massimo Moratti three months ago.”

However, Martins later emphasised Ronaldo’s willingness to stay at the San Siro, completely going against the player’s earlier claims.

And it was not long before the story took another turn, with the former PSV Eindhoven forward’s press spokesman Rodrigo Paiva apparently opening the door for other top European clubs to come in for Ronaldo.

“Ronaldo has a contract with Inter and if he has to fulfil it, he will,” he told Marca earlier.

“His future does not depend on Real Madrid or Manchester United, and he will stay at Inter until the club decide what to do.

“If they say he has to stay then he will, but the most intelligent thing for them to do at this stage would be to let him go.”

What happens now is anyone’s guess.

But one thing is certain: if Ronaldo were to reiterate his desire to leave Inter, the Nerazzurri would do everything in their power to make it as difficult as possible for the man whose eight goals helped Brazil to World Cup glory in June.

Moratti has stood by Ronaldo ever since the gifted frontman ruptured cruciate knee ligaments in April 2000, which ensured he would only make 17 league appearances over the next two years.

The Inter supremo believed his patience had been rewarded in Japan and South Korea when Ronaldo seemed to have recaptured his best form, and must have been itching to see his prize investment link up with Italy star Christian Vieri in the new season.

With Real Madrid now retracting their interest in him, Ronaldo’s decision to show such disregard for Moratti’s loyalty could prove a spectacular own goal.