- Wed, 8 Sep, 2010, 12:11 pm -

– by Pranav Prakash, Ranchi -
The football seasons in different countries are over,with some teams basking in the glory of winning the respective leagues while some trying to heal the wounds of losses.With the war on the football pitch over,the focus has shifted towards the war off it-the war between club managers to bring in new players to their sides.

Of these wars,the one getting most of the attention is the battle between two of the biggest(and the richest) football clubs –Manchester United and Real Madrid-to avail the services of a certain 22 year old-Cristiano Ronaldo,the Portugese Prodigy.A Man utd player since 2003,Ronaldo has been in red hot form over the last two seasons which won him the FIFA World Player of 2008.Last season Madrid had made a massive 60 million pounds bid to buy him from United.But United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had declined the offer and had said that Ronaldo won’t ever leave the club and go anywhere.

But that was the situation in June,2008.A season later,things have changed and are completely different.This june,Ronaldo has expressed his desire to play for Madrid.”I had my time at United.But now its time to move on.Every footballer dreams to wear the all white kit of Real Madrid and play for the club which has been home to legends like Zidane,Figo,Beckham and Di Stefano.”This is what he had said in an interview to a sports channel.But the most significant event in the whole “War” has been the 80 million pounds(Rs 640 crores approx.)that Madrid have offered United to get Ronaldo.

United owners have promised Sir Alex a 100 million pounds transfer budget if the Ronaldo deal goes through.This has prompted Sir Alex to readily accept the offer.He is aware of the fact that 100 million pounds is a great amount of money and he can buy at least three or four of the most talented players of the world who have ample potential to replace the outgoing Ronaldo or even surpass him.These things in mind,Sir Alex seems ready to part ways with the player whom he showed the path to greatness,if not immortality, when the only Ronaldo known to the world was the great Brazilian striker.

Real Madrid team once comprised of the gratest players on the planet-Ronaldo(the Brazilian), Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Raul etc. who were collectively called the “Galacticos”.That era ended a few years back with most of the players bidding adieu to the game.This year Madrid,have already bought Kaka(another magnificent player and also FIFA World Player-2007) for a whooping 65 million pounds and are on the verge of signing Cristiano Ronaldo.It seems the new “Galacticos”era is ready to rush in and take the club to the heights it had earlier achieved.

The world waits with baited breath as they watch Real Madrid, Manchester Utd and other clubs make a mockery of the economic recession prevailing worldwide and dish out massive amount of money to buy players.With the same baited breath the fans await the ‘Real War’,the war on the pitch, to start.