Could Cristiano Ronaldo really be going to Manchester City?

Reports in Spain are suggesting that Manchester City are prepared to pay an astronomical (even by their standards) €180 million for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The prospect of the greasy, egotistical Portuguese star returning to a city that he was trying to leave for most of the time he was at City’s arch rivals Manchester United seems a tad ridiculous, but given the sums of money involved, it can’t be completely discounted.

Madrid-based daily AS are reporting this morning that a €100 million bid for the player from City was initially rejected and that they have since returned with a similar cash offer with two players thrown into the deal, reportedly want-away striker Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor, who is currently on loan at the club from City.

The paper also reveals that both Real Madrid and Ronaldo are aware of the offer and that wealthy owner Sheikh Mansour is prepared to pay up to €180 million for a man whose claims to be the best footballer in the world have been firmly put in their place by Lionel Messi this season.

Should such a deal go ahead, it would break the world transfer record, currently the €96 million paid by Real to Manchester United for Ronaldo in 2009, by a whopping €84 million.

Not only that, but the Sheikh is also said to be prepared to pay Ronaldo an annual salary of €17 million, €7 million greater than his current salary at the Spanish giants.

Ronaldo is thought to be happy at Real Madrid and has little intention of leaving the club, but City's bid for his services shows how ambitious they are prepared to be in the transfer market now that they have sown up a place in the Champions League next season.