Audio By Carbonatix
File this under: “It comes from a British tabloid, but it almost makes sense.”
UK newspaper The Sun reports that David Beckham is hoping to bring the world’s highest-paid soccer player, Cristiano Renaldo, to his MLS team in Miami.
“Becks understands the need for a big, big name in the team when it gets going,” an MLS source told the tabloid. “And none come bigger than Ronaldo — the world’s greatest player.”
Ronaldo makes about €21 million per year playing for Real Madrid, and reportedly his buyout clause is a gigantic €1 billion. Ronaldo’s contract with the Spanish team runs through 2018. Beckham’s Miami MLS team would likely start playing in 2016 or 2017.
Miami, make your New Year’s Resolution Count!
We’re $15,000 away from our End-of-Year campaign goal, with just a couple of days left! We’re ready to deliver — but we need the resources to do it right. If Miami New Times matters to you, please contribute today to help us expand our current events coverage when it’s needed most.
“It’s not a secret he has thought about finishing his career here, about living here — so a deal like this could be perfect for him,” says the source. “It is a long way off yet — we’re talking 2017 — but it clearly demonstrates the ambition of the Beckham franchise.”
We have no doubt Beckham will try to sign some top-rate international talent under the MLS, ahem, “Beckham rule,” but Ronaldo may be wishful thinking. Then again, perhaps like Beckham he wouldn’t mind making a late-career detour to America. But until 2018 comes around that’s all hypothetical.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
