Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will find it difficult to resist entering a bidding war for Wayne Rooney - despite his foot soldiers trying to play down a move for the Manchester United star.
Rooney heading for the Old Trafford exit after falling out with boss Sir Alex Ferguson and indicating he will not sign a new contract unless his salary is doubled.
Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer of the England international but sidestepped the issue by saying Ferguson would talk his wayward talisman around, while director general Jorge Valdano has ruled out a January move.
On the move: Wayne Rooney has rocked Manchester United by stating his desire to leave the club
The Spanish giants would prefer to wait till next summer, when the 24-year-old would have just 12 months left on his contract and could threaten to buy out his contract for as little as £5million.
But Perez, recently described as being obsessed with Rooney, will not willingly pass up the chance to sign him should Manchester City make an approach this winter.
The 63-year-old businessman created the Galactico era at the Bernabeu and Rooney fits the bill as player who is both supremely talented and commercial gold dust.
Galactico: Real Madrid are known admirers of the England striker
In the summer, when Rooney seemed beyond everyone’s reach, Perez insisted his club had very good players in the same position.
But it is no secret that Mourinho feels short of attacking options - regardless of what the Portuguese says in public - with only the unconvincing Karim Benzema as a direct alternative to Gonzalo Higuain.
Madrid are also considering Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Llorente, who starred in place of Fernando Torres for Spain earlier this month, but the 25-year-old does not have the wow factor of Rooney.
Perez also remembers well the expanding commercial base he achieved by signing David Beckham, Michael Owen, Steve McManaman and even Jonathan Woodgate from England.
Nonetheless, such has been Rooney’s fall from grace that Madrid fans would prefer the club to plump for Llorente, who has scored eight goals in 12 games for club and country since the World Cup. A poll of more than 15,000 visitors to the Marca website shows more than twice as many (69 per cent) in favour of signing Llorente.
Cristiano Ronaldo would welcome his former Old Trafford team-mate to La Liga, but admitted last year that he didn’t see Rooney leaving home.
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‘We still talk on the phone from time to time, but we don’t talk about him coming to Real,’ said Ronaldo in November. ‘I think it’s better that he stays at United. Rooney is an Englishman and he likes Manchester. The city and the club suit him.’
Moving to Spain may give Rooney false hope of escaping the media focus on his private life, but it is understood that he would prefer to stay in England.
United fans will wince, but Manchester City are the club in prime position to prise him from Ferguson.
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