Agent - Robinho forced out

Ronaldo saga sealed future

Last updated: 8th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Agent - Robinho forced out

Robinho: Pleased to move

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Robinho's agent admits Real Madrid's pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo forced him out of the club.

The Brazilian star completed a deadline day move to Manchester City after getting his wish to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.

Robinho's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, has now revealed that Real's summer-long pursuit of Ronaldo was the catalyst to the 24-year-old leaving.

"He didn't feel valued at Real Madrid anymore, he felt looked down upon," Ribeiro told Jovem Pan.

"Why should Real Madrid only try hard to renew his contract after Cristiano Ronaldo said he was not going to leave United?

"Robinho's pride was hurt and for that reason no amount of money would have made him stay.

"He said that even if they paid him double he would not renew his contract."

Never in doubt

Ribeiro says that despite Real chief Ramon Calderon's stance that he would not sell Robinho - he was always confident a move would transpire.

"He (Calderon) said that there was no way Robinho would leave the club, that nobody would have the money for him," he said.

"Robinho said, 'I do not want to stay. I would rather be a travelling salesman, sell cakes in the fair, than remain at the club'. He told that to Calderon.

"From that point, after he spoke to the president and the press, everyone turned against him.

"He continued to insist that he didn't want to stay and we thought about going for article 17 [and buying out the rest of his contract]."

Chelsea had been chasing Robinho for most of the summer but they failed to land the player as City out bid them.

"It was said that Robinho was a Chelsea player, we were celebrating that," he continued.

"When we arrived the press asked about Manchester City, I told them no.

"At quarter to 11 at night they asked me, 'Will Robinho play at Manchester City?' and I responded that he would play anywhere but Real Madrid."

"[Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon was calling me desperately trying to know what was happening. But I was already certain that Chelsea and Real Madrid would never reach an agreement of more than €40million and it was then that I gave the okay to City."