Ronaldo was cheap at £80m – Keane
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane believes Cristiano Ronaldo was “cheap” at £80m.
Real Madrid paid United a world record fee to sign the Portugal winger but Keane said the money involved to take the 24-year-old to Spain is justified.
“I’m OK with it,” stated the Ipswich Town manager. “It’s just the way it is.
“Clubs are prepared to pay that, people talk about Ronaldo going for £80m – I look at other players and think Ronaldo’s cheap for £80m.”
Keane, whose Ipswich side are in Ireland on a pre-season tour, added: “He’s the best player in the world. Footballers are classed as entertainers and if you look at any industry the top people get the top money.”
Ronaldo’s switch to La Liga ended a long pursuit by Real for the world footballer of the year.
He was strongly linked with a move to the Spanish capital last summer but after a long, drawn-out saga in which United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he “would not sell that mob a virus”, Ronaldo insisted he was happy in Manchester.
However, the player continued to send out mixed messages about his future throughout the season and returning Madrid president Florentino Perez, who led the club from 2000 to 2006 during their famous galacticos era, said he would do “everything possible” to sign Ronaldo.
His capture came after Real had already secured the services of Brazilian playmaker Kaka from AC Milan for a reported £56m.
Ronaldo is expected to make his Madrid debut in Ireland on Monday night against Shamrock Rovers, with 11,000 tickets sold for the friendly encounter.
He is in the squad along with fellow new signing Karim Benzema, although Kaka will not be involved.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gabriel Heinze, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben could also feature in the match at Dublin’s Tallaght Stadium.
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