As if the abominable comedy that is the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga couldn’t get any more farcical, the Portuguese diva has dropped this little nugget – Manchester United is treating him like a slave. No, I’m not kidding. Although Ronaldo never used those exact words, his concurrence with the most recent droll from the ever-meddling Sepp Blatter was just as mind boggling.

This week the increasingly controversial and polarizing FIFA president came out with this little beauty: "Definitely as a footballer and the FIFA president, I'm very in sympathy with the player Ronaldo. I think in football there is too much modern slavery, transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere. And we are trying now to intervene in such cases."

So basically, Mr. Blatter, those damn dirty clubs are holding poor footballers against their will, subjecting them to harsh conditions in multi-million dollar training facilities and lovely chartered transportation. Let us not forget those measly wages; £100,000 a week? Who can live on that? Here’s another thing, this practice of holding a gun to the player’s heads to sign these long term multi-million pound deals has to stop.


Blatter, president of FIFA, claims football is "modern slavery"




United have since responded to Blatter’s blather. A United spokesman said: "All our players enter into their contracts after an open and free negotiation. Most of whom do after taking advice from a FIFA-registered agent. Many do so on a number of occasions and enjoy long and successful stays at Old Trafford."

The silliness of these asinine comments must be taken with a grain of salt when one considers the source. Good ole Sepp has in recent years been the subject of ire for many in football. He drew major criticism from the English FA with his “six plus five” quota proposition for limiting the number of foreign players in European clubs. Therefore it should come as no surprise that his foot and his mouth share common residence.

What is worth noting is Ronaldo’s willingness to agree with this dross, alienating Manchester United and its fans more than he already has. On his way out of a Portuguese medical centre, where his surgically repaired ankle was assessed, Ronaldo was confronted by reporters about his opinion of Blatter’s statement. The winger agreed with Blatter, throwing in a few of his now customary phrases saying, "You know what I said, what I want and what I would like. I agree completely with the president of Fifa."




Ronaldo agrees that he is being treated like a slave



I have already written that the desperation to keep Ronaldo when it is clear he wants to leave is unfounded. This episode of the drama shows that not only does United not need Ronaldo, but that keeping him may be counterproductive.

It is clear that Ronaldo’s heart is not in it. At all. He wants to leave so badly that he is openly calling his manager and club ruthless slave masters. If this does not concern the fans or management about whether or not he will give 100% if he remains at the club, I don’t know what will.

This entire fiasco is a slap in the face to the club, as blatant as they come. Ronaldo has been stringing everyone in Manchester along for months and it is time they all face the music. Sir Alex Ferguson must send Ronaldo packing, while extracting Real Madrid’s entire life savings for his troubles. Cutting all ties has never been more appropriate in football.

I admire the hard line position that United have taken in dealing with this debacle and with Real Madrid. It is not the first time their antics have provoked the wrath of a rival club for its top player, nor will it be the last. It is hard to ignore Real’s complicity.

However United must not act too righteous in this instance. In the acquisition of players like Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and especially Owen Hargreaves, the Red Devils played a similar role to that of Madrid. One cannot forget the drawn out affair of the Hargreaves transfer, which saw similar relentless innuendo from United and the same reaction of frustration from Bayern Munich. That the tables have turned on United will only be seen as just reward in many circles.



Hargreaves' transfer was as acrimonious as the Ronaldo saga



As for the controversial statement that set this new chapter in motion, one can only speculate as to the FIFA boss’s motives for such a divisive comment. What stake does he have in the Ronaldo transfer situation? Why is it any business of his? This situation is by no means unique or novel in football. So one must wonder why he has decided now to issue such an opinion. Whatever his reasons it is a disgrace the man who heads football’s governing body would say such a thing. And it is the height of absurdity that Manchester United sits back while Ronaldo jumps in agreement for the sole purpose of continuing to stick it to United fans.