The Cristiano Ronaldo saga shows no signs of abating after Real Madrid insisted they were "passive spectators" while Manchester United refuse to entertain any prospect of selling their star winger.
Although Ronaldo made numerous claims during Euro 2008 suggesting any announcement over his future intentions was imminent, so far the Portugal international has remained silent.
It was expected the 23-year-old would be back in Manchester this week for ankle surgery. Instead, he has been pictured on holiday in Sardinia.
The move has the full backing of United medical staff, who are not convinced Ronaldo needs to go under the knife and have decided to re-assess the situation when the player returns to training on July 14.
And given Real officials have already hinted they expect to make a formal announcement confirming Ronaldo's arrival at the Bernabeu at the beginning of next month, the Spanish giants need the impasse to be broken if they are not going to be embarrassed.
"We are in this situation as passive spectators," Calderon told Madrid-based radio station City FM.
"I suppose they (United) think we have intervened in some way but it is not like that and that is the truth.
"It is something between the player and Manchester United. If the player continues to insist that he wants to come and if United consider letting him go, then we will ask."
The problem for Madrid is that United are not considering letting Ronaldo go, a position Red Devils chief executive David Gill is likely to reinforce when he sees Calderon at a meeting of Europe's leading clubs on July 7.
Having continually stressed, both in public and private, Ronaldo will not be sold, Gill is hardly likely to offer Calderon any encouragement.
So, unless Ronaldo hands in a formal transfer request, Real will be left trying to force the issue themselves.
"His declarations have provoked a lot of expectation," Calderon said of the Madeira-born player.
"If it was me, it would make me proud that the big clubs were asking about our players.
"But it is not up to the player, or Madrid. Manchester do not want to sell him."
Calderon's comments about big clubs may cause some irritation among the Old Trafford hierarchy as they are the European champions, something Real have not been since the 2001/02 season.
However, that is of less concern than keeping hold of Ronaldo, who manager Sir Alex Ferguson felt would not test United over their resolve to keep him and ambition for the future for another two years.
To Ferguson's regret those words have been proved incorrect, although by the time he returns to his desk at United's Carrington training ground on Monday at least some of the heat will have been taken out of the situation despite reports of Ronaldo buying property in the Spanish capital.
"It seems to be Ronaldo has become a bit of a hot potato," Calderon said with remarkable understatement.
However, in admitting Real will not be held to ransom over Ronaldo, Calderon has also revealed an element of weakness, particularly as United, in the sales of David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy, have previously come under fire for selling players to Madrid on the cheap.
"It seems a lot of money to me," said Calderon.
"It is too soon when we have not even started talking to United.
"But in whatever operation we do we are careful not to put at risk our good administration."
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Comment 1 - 8 of 8
Give me a break guys. C. Ronaldo has the right to leave like any other player. Would you think if Real was interested in Rooney he would just seat quite? C. Ronaldo is a superstar and Man United has nothing to do with it. Sporting Academy in Lisbon has lots like him. Ask Queiroz about it. Let the player go and buy Quaresma for half of the price. Quaresma is in the same class of C. Ronaldo and he will be as effective. Now bringing the same b.s. about him and Roney and the W. Cup. Common guys, C. Ronaldo is not a traitor if the English players played with the heart and the love for their country like C.R. thus England will not ever misse the qualifying for anything.
Give me a break guys. C. Ronaldo has the right to leave like any other player. Would you think if Real was interested in Rooney he would just seat quite? C. Ronaldo is a superstar and Man United has nothing to do with it. Sporting Academy in Lisbon has lots like him. Ask Queiroz about it. Let the player go and buy Quaresma for half of the price. Quaresma is in the same class of C. Ronaldo and he will be as effective. Now bringing the same b.s. about him and Roney and the W. Cup. Common guys, C. Ronaldo is not a traitor if the English players played with the heart and the love for their country like C.R. thus England will not ever misse the qualifying for anything.
Give me a break guys. C. Ronaldo has the right to leave like any other player. Would you think if Real was interested in Rooney he would just seat quite? C. Ronaldo is a superstar and Man United has nothing to do with it. Sporting Academy in Lisbon has lots like him. Ask Queiroz about it. Let the player go and buy Quaresma for half of the price. Quaresma is in the same class of C. Ronaldo and he will be as effective. Now bringing the same b.s. about him and Roney and the W. Cup. Common guys, C. Ronaldo is not a traitor if the English players played with the heart and the love for their country like C.R. thus England will not ever misse the qualifying for anything.
Am I missing something here? Has anyone actually heard the words coming from Ronaldo's mouth that he wants to leave MUFC, or is it just the "news" reports that are saying this? As I said, maybe I missed that interview but if it actually happened then I would have expected it to have been broadcast several dozen timeas on the varoius TV channels... and it hasn't been, has it? Let's all give R7 the benefit of the doubt before we go slagging him off all over the place.
madrid are a joke, they are unprofessional at best. team building in their manual comes under *team raping section: how to undermine rules and regulations through sneaky fu8ckin tactics and latin mentality (stupid). when he goes over there he will be top dog for a few games then he'll throw a strop as he dose, then he'll see how @#$% the training and team mentality is. i think he'll fit right in
real madrid cannot train up their own superstars , so they have to have the government fundung to buy the players, they are not a team , they are a joke, why do you think david beckham could not wait to leave them
alangsmall u idiot do u not no real madrid won the league 2 years on the rn last seaosn n this season how can u say let ronaldo go and win nuthin u must be stupid 9 times champions of europe amazing team with more quality players thenn man u will ever have face the facts u man u supporters are jealous hahahah
I am getting sick and tired of reading this sh.t if he wants to go Alex then get rid of him, Man U have always been about the team and not about 1 superstar. He is also showing disloyalty in actually saying the he wants to leave, unreal really that someone in his position actually would say that, he obviously did not learn anything when he had the coming together with Wayne Rooney in the World cup, so in short he must be a little thick. let him go to Spain and win nothing for a few years, that may , just may change his attitude, Beckham learnt the hardway as well. @#$% him of Alex.
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