'Blank cheque' offer for Ruud

2008-09-03 15:31

Madrid - Real Madrid turned down a "blank cheque" for their Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester City after selling their Brazilian forward Robinho to the English side, sports daily Marca reported on Wednesday.

Manchester City and its new owner, billionaire Arab businessman Sulaiman Al-Fahim of the UAE, offered an "out of the ordinary" sum for the 32-year-old after sealing their purchase of Robinho on Monday for 42 million euros, it said.

Al-Fahim, who wants to turn Manchester City into the biggest football club in the world, said on Tuesday he was willing to pay 150 million euros for crosstown rival Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

Real Madrid had offered around 85 million euros for Ronaldo over the summer but the 23-year-old player decided to stay with Manchester United for at least another year.

Al-Fahim is also interested in signing FC Barcelona's French international striker Thierry Henry and Valencia's Spanish international striker David Villa, the top-scorer at Euro 2008.

Spanish media reported that he is also interested in Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Liverpool's striker Fernando Torres.

Al-Fahim has not disclosed the amount he is paying for City when he made the purchase on Monday on behalf of the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, of which he is a board member.

The National, an English-language Abu Dhabi daily, earlier on Tuesday estimated the value of the buy-out at $177m.

- AFP