Money spent on Ronaldo will be worth it

Jun 12 2009 by Michael Kelly, The Journal

THE £80m offer from Real Madrid for Ronaldo may end up being enough to buy Newcastle United, lock stock and barrel. Is it financial madness or just good business by the Spanish football giants? Mike Kelly reports

According to experts Weber Shandwick Sport, the joint merchandising sales and sponsorship revenue from Ronaldo and Brazilian star Kaka (pictured left), who Real signed this week for £56m from AC Milan, will hit £106m its first year.

In the blizzard of figures it is worth reminding everyone success on the football field helps too. In 2008, when Manchester United won the Champions League, they generated £43m from the competition alone.

Also the Spanish club are massively in demand for exhibition matches.

With Ronaldo and Kaka in the line-up, it’s the football equivalent of having Brad Pitt and George Clooney in your cast. During Perez’s first stint with the club they were paid £10m for two matches in Japan alone.

A series of summer exhibition games is being lined up by Real. Ironically one of them is with Toronto FC, managed until recently by former Newcastle United coach John Carver, who could return to the Magpies if Alan Shearer becomes manager.

Bedi added: “Clearly there is huge amounts of cash to make in the overseas market, particularly Asia.

“I’ve heard a lot of disbelieving talk about how can Ronaldo possibly be worth more than Newcastle United.

“The answer is quite easy. The Ronaldo deal has provided a stark reality check that Newcastle United are now in the second tier of English football and that one player is worth more than they are.”