David Moyes is set to venture into a territory Sir Alex Ferguson firmly refused to explore, as the former Everton manager is ready to launch an increased bid, thought to be in the region of £14m, for Everton left-back Leighton Baines.
United have already had a £12m offer turned down by the Goodison Park outfit but are prepared to raise their bid by a couple of millions, edging closer to the sum Sir Alex refused to pay 12 months ago, when his pursue of Baines was abruptly brought to an end by Everton’s financial demand.
The Mirror today reports that David Moyes is desperate to land the England international but is not willing to spend over £14-15m on Baines, who, continues the paper, “is understood to be keen to make the switch to the champions, despite his loyalty to Everton.”
Elsewhere, the Telegraph claims that Real Madrid are set to offer Cristiano Ronaldo a deal worth more than £330,000-a-week to keep the Portuguese star at the Bernabeu and frustrate United’s attempt to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford – something Ronaldo himself declared unlikely to happen anyway, at least for the time being.
The broadsheet claims that ” while senior figures at United have been given encouragement from the Ronaldo camp that the 28?year?old would consider a return to the club should he leave Real,” and that “United believe they can prise him from Madrid this summer if he makes it clear to the Spanish club that he will not extend his contract,” Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez has other ideas altogether and he’s determined to keep the Portuguese star at the Bernabeu for the rest of his playing career.
Were Ronaldo to sign a deal worth in the excess of £330,000-a-week – which would make him the highest-paid footballer on the planet – he would commit his future to the Spanish giants and, consequently, dismiss the rumours that claim Ronaldo is keen to run down his contract with Real Madrid, before leaving for free in two years.
Meanwhile, David Moyes conducted his first training session at Carrington yesterday, putting players through their paces, the Daily Mail reports.
Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and new signing Wilfried Zaha were among the players involved in the training session, which was conducted by Moyes himself and by his assistant, Steve Round. The former Everton manager said he’s fully aware of the need to uphold the club’s attacking tradition on the pitch.
“I am at a club where the word success is tattooed right across the badge,” said Moyes.
“I want us to play the same way, with the same traditions of entertaining, exciting football.
“But I’ve always said the biggest thing in football is to win. I would always put winning at the top of the list and Sir Alex would as well.”
