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Florentino Perez Claimed Cristiano Ronaldo Isn't Real Madrid's Transfer Of The Century

Florentino Perez Claimed Cristiano Ronaldo Isn't Real Madrid's Transfer Of The Century

Ronaldo might be the highest ever scorer for Real Madrid, but the president doesn't think he's their best transfer in the 21st century.

Florentino Perez has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo isn't Real Madrid's best signing of the last 22 years, according to the agent of the player Perez did supposedly name.

Ronaldo may have scored 450 goals for Real, 127 more than Raul, who has scored more than anyone in the club's history other than the Portugal star.

However, according to Toni Kroos' agent, the club's president actually thinks the Germany midfielder was a better signing for Los Blancos this century.

"He is an unbelievably pleasant person with a great life story," the former Bayern Munich midfielder's agent, Volke Struth said of Perez to OMR-Podcast last year.

"He is entrepreneurial but remains human. He explained to me why Toni Kroos is Real Madrid's transfer of the century."

Ronaldo trying to work out how many more 'World Player of the Year' trophies he has than Kroos. Image: Alamy
Ronaldo trying to work out how many more 'World Player of the Year' trophies he has than Kroos. Image: Alamy

Whilst Struth said it last year, the evidence for Kroos has only continued to stack up, with the 32-year-old now level on five Champions League wins.

The Germany international was part of the team who beat Liverpool in the final in Paris in May, but it wasn't all fun for him after the full time whistle.

He was accosted by one interviewer on the pitch and ended up marching out of the interview due to being 'p***ed off' at the questions.

Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric all have five European trophies. Image: Alamy
Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric all have five European trophies. Image: Alamy

Things could have been very different for Kroos, and Perez, as the midfielder nearly didn't end up playing for Los Blancos, having moved there in 2014, after winning the World Cup.

He'd actually come close to joining David Moyes' Manchester United months before the tournament, even verbally agreeing to the move when he met the Scotsman.

"I knew beforehand that United wanted me,"the German said of a meeting between himself and the West Ham manager.

"And Moyes absolutely underlined that. It was a really nice afternoon with very pleasant people. We talked a lot about United's football plan, which convinced me.

"In the end, we broke up to do it. So we agreed verbally. The next step should be to look at everything on the spot in Manchester.

"The move would not have been that complicated - after all, we only had one child at the time, seven months old. It would all have worked."

Moyes sacking meant that Kroos missed out on the move to the Premier League, before going on to secure his move to the Bernabeu and becoming the team's most important signing of the past two decades.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid, La Liga, Toni Kroos