The Summer of Real Madrid Continues

By: chris | July 1st, 2009

Does anyone get the feeling Real Madrid is doing everything possible to make Kaka ‘just one of the guys’? Or perhaps they don’t like him quite as much as his price tag would indicate. Shortly after dozens of duffle bags worth of cash were thumped on the fronts steps of the San Siro, Kaka’s transfer was blown out of the water by Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Madrid. And yesterday they had a big bash for Kaka – and only Kaka – only to follow it up with an announcement this morning stating they’d just bought their latest new toy, Karim Benzema.

And they’re at it again. €35m for Lyon’s stud, the one they’d been adamant about hanging onto for so long. But all that changes when Florentino Perez walks into the negotiating room, asking for a price. A ridiculous price is stated, and he doesn’t bat an eye. Merely writes the check. No messing around. And incredibly the press, notorious for knocking up transfer rumors, couldn’t even hit Benzema’s tag on the nose.

“We have received an offer which is substantially higher than the figures being talked about,” a Lyon spokesman told L’Equipe.

Of course this is probably a bargain compared to what they would’ve had to fork over for David Villa, and perhaps a bargain compared to the next Galactico. Ribery? Ibrahimovic? Maicon? All possibilities, all proof that this global recession does not affect organizations named Real Madrid.

Organizations with foolproof ways of making money.

	Soccer Forums	Team/International Results

Category: World Football

Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Lyon, Manchester United, Milan, Real Madrid, World Football

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• Granit |  July 1st, 2009 at 3:24 pm

  
  
  

  The off side is usually blessed with great articles, analasys and thoughtful blogs, but this one just smells jealousy and envy…

  What is wrong with u? Real Madrid needed streangthening and they are doing what they belive is best for the club. If that means buying players for €200m then thats their bizzniz and non of yours!

  Are you a nother bitter Man u fan? Lost Ronaldo to us and also lost out on Benz? U want Ribery but he only wants Real Madrid, tough shit my friend.

  Or is your problem that u are a suporter of another team, who needs strengthening but your team budget only would get you Ronaldos pinky toe?

  Posted from Sweden

  

• Madridista |  July 1st, 2009 at 3:49 pm

  
  
  

  I think you have to remember that Pérez and many Real Madrid fans, myself included, wish the last three years under Calderón never happened. He’s trying to make up for lost time. So where most clubs make one or two big signings in the off-season and a few young players and backups, Pérez is “doing three seasons’ work in one”.

  Raúl Albiol came without any fanfare. Most people, if they remember Albiol at all, are thinking, “three attackers and one defender? Galácticos!” But don’t forget Pérez clearly intends to keep Casillas, Ramos and Pepe, while the only two attackers in the squad who are assured of their squad places are Raúl and Higuaín, and even then they are not necessarily guaranteed a first-team place. So of course he’s going to be buying more midfielders and strikers.

  It seems silly to most that we should buy Kaka when we have Sneijder, Van Der Vaart and Guti in his position, except – if you could afford Kaka, would you not take him over any of the other three? Ronaldo over Robben, Drenthe and Marcelo (and one guy by the name of Faubert)? Benzema or Saviola? (Though I don’t consider Benzema necessarily an improvement over Huntelaar.) Most clubs are limited by their finances, but Real Madrid happen not to be and they’re using that privilege. It’s probably nothing to do with trying to make Kaka feel like “one of the guys”.

  Posted from Singapore

  

• aj |  July 1st, 2009 at 4:00 pm

  
  
  

  “I think you have to remember that Pérez and many Real Madrid fans, myself included, wish the last three years under Calderón never happened.”

  Ummm, You won the league twice?

  Posted from United States

  

• Lord Quas |  July 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm

  
  
  

  but not the champions league… this is Real Madrid we’re talking about, not whatever back water club you support…(sarcastic)

  Posted from United States

  

• Andres |  July 1st, 2009 at 4:45 pm

  
  
  

  Well said madridista perez clearly stated that hell be doing three summers’s work in just this one and I don’t see what’s wrong with that at all. We’ve been disgraced left and right last season so you had to know that we’ll be going all out to set it all straight this summer

  Posted from United States

  

• troy |  July 1st, 2009 at 5:48 pm

  
  
  

  it is going to be really funny when barcelona still wins la liga.

  Posted from United States

  

• Infectioner |  July 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm

  
  
  

  [lord quas]
  Under Perez’s previous regime between 2000-2006, Real won two league titles (2001, 2003) and one CL (2002). Sure, this is the Real Madrid we’re talking about. (sarcastic)

  Posted from Australia

  

• wob |  July 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 am

  
  
  

  where can you buy those ‘I belong to Jesus’ – tshirts?

  Posted from Netherlands

  

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