Football
ESPN staff 9y

Cristiano Ronaldo has £1 billion release clause, says agent Jorge Mendes

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has a one billion pound ($1.51B) release clause in his contract, according to his agent Jorge Mendes, who told the BBC that the Portuguese star would sell for 300 million pounds if the club decided to let him leave tomorrow.

Mendes said he believes Ronaldo will see out his career with the Galacticos and said that the 29-year-old was the best player and sportsman ever.

"Cristano Ronaldo? One billion," Mendes said when asked by the BBC how much the three-time Ballon d'Or winner was worth. "His buyout clause one billion, so it is one billion. If, for any reason, the club decide to sell him tomorrow for 300 million, someone will pay.

"He loves the Manchester United supporters because he was there six years but he will finish his career at Real Madrid, for sure," said the Portuguese agent, who began his career as a nightclub owner in Porto and who has reportedly taken charge of transfers worth more than one billion pounds in total. 

Mendes also represents Jose Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria, James Rodriguez, David De Gea, Victor Valdes and Diego Costa.

"Being an agent means many different things. I'm someone normal, I'm working hard every single day. I have ambitions, determination and being honest, doing the right things... this is most important," he said. 

He also said the ban on third-party ownership of players was "illegal" and "catastrophic" for clubs.

"FIFA and UEFA are not the police," he said. "I think that's it's very important to establish rules, the right rules, but not to stop it."

Real Madrid spent a world record fee of 80 million pounds in 2009 to bring Ronaldo from Manchester United and Mendes said his star would stay at the Bernabeu, despite his "love" for supporters of his former club.

"He will not leave Real Madrid," Mendes told BBC sports editor Dan Roan.

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