Source: SKY_Sports
Blatter backs Real spree
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has backed Real Madrid's record-breaking £80million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo, as he believes it proves football remains a growth industry.
Earlier this week his Uefa counterpart Michel Platini described the Spanish titan's offer, along with the £56million signing of Kaka, as being 'excessive'.
Given the global recession Real's unprecedented spending has surprised many within the football fraternity, but Blatter feels the game will benefit in the long run.
Speaking ahead of the Confederations Cup in South Africa, Blatter said: "It means that our product is still a good product. If this is the game of the people, they need stars.
"OK, it is a lot of money, but he is performing. We are in a very sensitive market nowadays because there is an economic crisis. In football, we are still in a good market."
If Ronaldo does follow Kaka in moving to the Spanish capital, then it means Madrid will have made the four most expensive signings (in euros) in history, having also splashed out huge money on Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo during Florentino Perez's previous term as president from 2000-06.
Madrid also lavished big fees on the likes of Brazilian forward Ronaldo and David Beckham as part of the club's famous 'galacticos' policy, and Blatter believes the current situation is not too different to how it was a decade ago.
"Almost 10 years ago, Luis Figo went from Barcelona to Real Madrid for £37million," he said. "So what is £80million now? That means there is still demand to have a star."
