Berlusconi plots bid for Ronaldo
Reuters - Tuesday 12 April 2011, 10:01
MILAN - AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi
plans to bid for Real Madrid's former world player of the year
Cristiano Ronaldo if his side win the Serie A title, the Italian
prime minister has said.
The Portuguese has never indicated a wish to leave the
Bernabeu but that has not deterred colourful Berlusconi, often
accused by opponents of making outlandish bids for political
popularity, from making the pledge on Italian TV late on Monday.
"If we win the scudetto then the next transfer window will
see us add one or two great players, and one of those could be
Ronaldo," Berlusconi said.
"If we were able to add Ronaldo to our squad I think it
would please everybody. Sometimes dreams come true."
Milan are three points clear in Serie A with six games left
as they bid for a first scudetto since 2004.
Berlusconi reined back spending during the global economic
crisis but eased the purse strings at the start of this season
with Zlatan Ibrahimovic arriving from Barcelona, although the
Swede's recent disciplinary problems have tested his patience.
"Did I throw my money away?" Berlusconi was quoted as saying
by Italian media after forward Ibrahimovic was sent off for
swearing in the 2-1 win at Fiorentina, triggering a second
straight ban.
Several ageing Milan players reach the end of their
contracts in the close season including Clarence Seedorf and
Andrea Pirlo but the owner said he hoped both players would
stay.