Real Madrid has received some back lash following the summer transfer window, when Angel Di Maria left for Manchester United and Xabi Alonso left for Bayern Munich. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was forced to defend the club’s transfer policy amid reports that Cristiano Ronaldo was not thrilled to see two of the team’s best players leave.
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“I’ve been here since 2000,” Perez said, via Sky Sports. “Since then a lot of players have come and gone and my experience tells me that the ones that leave are always the best and those that arrive are always questioned.
“My first (signing) was (Zinezine) Zidane and the last (before this summer’s transfer market) was (Gareth) Bale.
“We made the best offer that we could to Di Maria and he didn’t accept it.
“Hence, we brought in James (Rodriguez), one of the best players at the World Cup and the Golden Boot award winner.
“Di Maria and all of those that have left have our gratitude and respect.
“A player that is under contract and leaves is because he wants to.
“Real has always respected contracts.
“Di Maria had financial requests that I considered legitimate but we couldn’t satisfy them.
“I reiterate that we made him the best possible offer.
“With the exception of Cristiano (Ronaldo), Di Maria would have been the highest paid at Real Madrid.
“Had we accepted his financial demands it would have created an unbalanced treatment that would have put the club’s stability in danger.
“Di Maria left to Manchester for a fee that we considered fair and that is why the transfer was completed.
“We wish Di Maria the best professionally and personally.”
And on Alonso’s transfer:
“Xabi came to us and told us that he wanted to leave,” he said. “He thought it was the best for him and for the club.
“Our relationship with Xabi is excellent and we accepted his proposal.
“Xabi is in the final stages of his sporting career and wants to manage it in this way.
“We understand it and we respect it.”