Football Transfer Alert: Bale to Real sets off Ronaldo to Man Utd, Rooney to Chelsea

Football’s summer transfer merry-go-round is about to seriously get a spin-around.

Only this time, for a change, the very best players in the world are taking a seat on the ride. (Except Lionel Messi, of course. He will never leave Barcelona it seems.) What has set in motion the makings of football’s craziest summer transfer window yet – both in terms of movement and money – is a report in the Spanish press that insinuates that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez would not hesitate to pay £85m for Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale, if given the chance.

He was quoted by Marca newspaper as saying, “For those players and investments that generate and produce income, you can give everything in life.

“We have a very high bar but someone will come in for sure.”

That might send a direct message to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been dilly-dallying on putting an end to speculation about his future at Real. Ronaldo is reported to want £32m a year on a new deal to stay. Bale could be the cover for Ronaldo should Madrid and the striker not reach terms.

In the shadows hover Manchester United. A Bale switch to Spain will surely open the door for Ronaldo to return to Old Trafford, even with new manager David Moyes in charge.How much will the Red Devils be willing to fork out for the Portuguese man-o-war? Estimates in the British press put the figure at £65million.

Two seats on the merry-go-round taken. Now for the third.

Jose Mourinho dangles the bait for Wayne Rooney. Being quoted by The Sun on the sidelines of his press conference where he returned to Chelsea the ‘Special, Happy One’ said, “I like him. He is at a fantastic age.

“He has maturity, big experience and is still young. It’s up to him and what he wants, what makes him happy. He’s a little bit like me. He doesn’t need one more pound in his contract and one more cup won’t make a difference. Be happy.”

David Moyes will have to sort Rooney out. However, Borussia Dortmund on Monday booked a seat on the spin trip for Robert Lewandowski. The club's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said the prized striker will not be making his anticipated move to Champions League winners and Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in this transfer window.

Manchester United have been tracking Lewandowski for some time now and if Rooney plays hard to get they could cash in on him – selling him to Stamford Bridge for a profit – and re-invest the cash in Lewandowski for him to create a fearsome attacking strike duo with Robin Van Persie.

The last seat on the crazy ride will probably be taken by Cesc Fabregas, but Barca are known to create a sense of loyalty and commitment among players that is perhaps rivaled only by United. This is why Arsenal may once again be reduced to watching from the sidelines and hopefully, getting Gonzalo Higuain.

Arsenal in for Rooney? Will that will be the ultimate spin.

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