Who will come out on top?

[Lazie]

Calderon or Fergie?

Schuster seeks Van der Vaart

Bernd Schuster has told Real Madrid that he would be just as happy with signing Rafael van der Vaart as he would with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Real coach is beginning to fret about missing out on other transfer targets because of an obsession with prising Ronaldo away from Manchester United.
After seeing his side edge to an opening pre-season win in Austria, Schuster has asked president Ramon Calderon and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic to consider other options.
"Ronaldo is the best in the world at the moment, but if we cannot sign him then I would be just as happy with Van der Vaart," Schuster told AS.
Hamburg offer

Madrid have been linked with Van der Vaart and David Villa as the Ronaldo move appears increasingly unlikely, but there has yet to be any offers.
Hamburg claim Real have made an offer for Van der Vaart, but insist that it came nowhere near their asking price.
"It was a ridiculous offer and that is why we rejected it," said the Bundeslinga outfit's sporting director Didi Beiersdorfer.
"We promised to consider letting Van der Vaart go this summer if an offer from a big club arrived."

[Lazie]

Calderon - Ronaldo or nothing

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon claims that if he fails to land Cristiano Ronaldo he will not attempt to make any other signings this summer.
Calderon is eager to prise Ronaldo away from Manchester United and Real manager Bernd Schuster recently aired his concerns over his club's obsession with the Portuguese winger.
Schuster said on Tuesday morning that he would be just as happy to sign Hamburg star Rafael van der Vaart as he would Ronaldo.
However, Calderon appears to have ruled out the possibility of Van der Vaart arriving at the Bernabeu.
"Either Cristiano Ronaldo comes or nobody does," Calderon is quoted as saying in Marca.
The news could come as a major blow to Schuster, who is eager to strengthen his squad as Real prepare to defend their Primera Liga title and eye success in the UEFA Champions League.

[Lazie]

After seeing that nobody paying them any attention ...

CALDERON HITS OUT AT UNITED OVER RONALDO


THE Christiano Ronaldo saga hotted up today with Real Madrid President launching a scathing attack on Manchester United.

Calderon, who has made it very clear that he wants the Portugal winger at Madrid, told Spanish sports daily AS that the ongoing and unresolved situation is entirely the Red Devils' fault.

And he added that Madrid were purely "spectators" in the "soap opera" between the player and his current club.

He said: “Look, this is a problem that wasn’t created by Real Madrid. Madrid are just spectators in this soap opera.

“At the moment Manchester United and the player are in an argument and Madrid are waiting...and we can’t do any more for the time being."

In a further dig at Sir Alex Ferguson's side, he said that United were standing in the way of the 23-year-old's dream.

He said: "Obviously, it’s clear that we want Cristiano with the quality that he has. But there is a contractual problem that United and the player have to resolve, not us.

“Will he persuade the club to let him go? I can’t say that. That question’s for the player, who has publicly said his dream is to play for Madrid."

Despite Real tracking Ronaldo all summer, Ferguson has insisted that he will be at Old Trafford against next season.

[Lazie]

Now the latest ....

Real Madrid close to Van der Vaart deal

MADRID, July 30 (Primera Liga) - Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon claims the club could sign Hamburg star Rafael van der Vaart this weekend.
The Holland international has repeatedly been linked with Madrid throughout the summer after some fine performances at Euro 2008, and the Primera Liga champions have already had a six million euro bid rejected.

Reports in Spain suggest an improved bid of 10million has been accepted and, with the two clubs set to meet in London this weekend at the Emirates Cup, Calderon is confident Van der Vaart is only days away from becoming a Madrid player.

'That's certainly a possibility and we are waiting to come to an agreement with Hamburg,' he told Spanish sports daily AS. 'It's an operation that isn't causing difficulties.

'He's a player that (coach Bernd) Schuster likes a lot and he is within our range, that's true. But what we are not going to do is sign a centre-forward. This I can definitively declare.

'We have four extraordinary strikers. Raul and (Ruud) Van Nistelrooy are still the best in Europe, this will be (Javier) Saviola's year and offers of up to 25million euros are coming in for (Gonzalo) Higuain - a kid of 20 years who is of superb class.

'If a fifth striker comes in we would have to kill of one of those lads. We won't do that.'

Calderon has rubbished the idea of Valencia star David Villa coming to the Bernabeu, telling the Madrid fans to 'forget it'.

He added: 'I insist that there is no place for him even though he was a great player in the European Championship and his goals helped us become champions.

'But the fact is that we don't have space for another goalscorer.