Waiting game

Balague: time for chess

It will be a case of playing chess because Real Madrid understand that Ronaldo's contract has a buy-out clause of £80m.

Guillem Balague
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Guillem Balague told Sky Sports News Real Madrid are keen on signing Cristiano Ronaldo - but he is only third on the club's wish list.

Real's newly-installed president Florentio Perez has confirmed that the Manchester United winger is one of his top summer targets.

But Balague believes the 24-year-old, who is currently on international duty with Portugal, will have to wait in line to be courted.

"I think the order of players (that Real want) at the moment is Kaka, David Villa and then Cristiano Ronaldo," Balague told Sky Sports News.

"There will be an offer for Villa next week, which means that there will be another Chelsea v Real Madrid fight because Chelsea have put an offer to Valencia of €43m which Valencia have not accepted.

"Even if they do, the player wants to go to Real Madrid and it's only a matter of days (until he does).

"After that it will be a case of playing chess because Real Madrid understand that Ronaldo's contract has a buy-out clause of £80m.

"Real Madrid don't want to pay that so they reckon it could all go down to the wire; it could run until the last few days of August.

"But Real Madrid's intention is certainly to get Ronaldo and Kaka in this new Galacticos era."

Confused

New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has told his club's hierarchy that he wants to land AC Milan star Kaka but Balague believes the Blues boss is going to miss out this time.

"Kaka is going to Real Madrid," he said. "Nothing has been finalised; he hasn't been presented to the players or announced yet officially because of the elections but the situation will be much, much clearer by Monday.

"Everything has got very, very confused over the last couple of days; from what I know, there is no Chelsea offer on the table and Real Madrid know that. They realised it was Kaka trying to get more money.

"If Ancelotti wanted Kaka, he would have talked to him about a month ago and said 'I'm definitely going to Chelsea - why not just come with me?' and put everything in place. That did not take place.

"Yes, there have been conversations between Chelsea and Kaka in the last couple of days but no offer was made because they all realise he was far too way down the path of joining Real Madrid. It gets to a point where you cannot highjack any sort of deal."