United Beat Chelsea to Young Star's Signature
記者: Sam Wallace
來源: ㄜ...我從曼聯週刊論壇那邊看到的
Manchester United were last night set to beat Chelsea to the signature of the
Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, despite a last-minute intervention from
Chelsea's new owner and his vast transfer fund.
The race to sign Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon was the first time that United
had been in direct competition with Chelsea for a player since Roman Abramovich
's takeover of the club, but sources at Old Trafford indicated last night that
their bid had been successful.
Yesterday, as the rivalry between the Premiership giants came into sharper
focus, the Chelsea chairman, Ken Bates, revealed that Abramovich considered
buying into Manchester United - but did not like the club. Bates said: "He
went to Old Trafford and liked the game, but did not like the atmosphere."
Ronaldo will almost certainly be joined at Old Trafford by Brazil international
midfielder Kleberson, who was last night granted a work permit to play in the
Premiership.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, attended the hearing which gave the
go-ahead for United to tie up the final details of the player's 6 million
move from Atletico Paranaense.
Ronaldo, 18, gave an eye-catching display in United's 3-1 defeat by
Sporting Lisbon last week in a friendly to mark the opening of the Portuguese
side's new stadium.
Despite missing out on signing Ronaldo's former team-mate Ricardo Quaresma, who
joined Barcelona in the summer, United have been confident that a bid of around
6.65 million would be enough to see off competition from Juventus for the
player.
However, The Daily Telegraph understands that Chelsea offered Sporting Lisbon
the option of taking Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in addition to cash of around 3
million and the chance to keep Ronaldo for another year before a move to
Stamford Bridge next summer.
United played the game in Lisbon last week to consolidate the special
relationship with the Portuguese club that was established by their former
assistant manager, Carlos Queiroz. Sporting have become one of a number of
partner clubs United have established around the world.
After the match on Wednesday, it is understood that Ferguson and his defender,
Rio Ferdinand, spoke to Ronaldo. The teenager, who can play on either wing or
as a centre-forward, is part of a new generation of young Portuguese players
that included Quaresma, striker Carlos Martins and Tottenham's new signing
Helder Postiga - all of whom played in Portugal Under-21s' defeat of England
Under-21s last season.
Ronaldo was in the Sporting Lisbon squad who played in a friendly against
Tottenham on Sunday, and it is understood that he stayed behind in England
after the match to monitor negotiations.
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