Back in 2009, Real Madrid signed Cristiano Ronaldo for a record breaking £80m from Manchester United. The record was previously held by now Real Madrid Sporting Director Zinedine Zidane, when he was signed for £64 in 2001 by Madrid from Juventus.
Zidane admittted that it may take Real Madrid to make another record breaking bid to sign Tottenham winger Gareth Bale. Bale has had an impressive season in the Premier League and is reported to be interested in a move to play Champions League football, though Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas insisted that Bale is not for sale and that he does not want to leave the club.
‘The talk about Gareth Bale is not a surprise,’ said Zidane. ‘It is impossible to have the season he just had and not be linked with the biggest clubs in Europe.
‘If any club is going to tempt Spurs, then it will take big money – maybe even record-breaking money.
‘There are four or five clubs at the moment who have the finances not to be put off by a record-breaking fee like that.’