The big story: Ronaldo was offered £84 million a year

Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent has claimed that his client rejected a deal from a Chinese club that offered Real Madrid a sum of £250 million to sign the Portuguese forward with a reported £84 million a year in wages.

“Money is not everything; the Spanish club is his life,” Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes was quoted as saying by Sky Sports Italia. “The Chinese market is a new market. They can buy a lot of players, but then again it is impossible to go for Ronaldo. Cristiano is the best player in the world and best ever. It is normal to have some offers.”

If genuine, the bid would eclipse the £93.2 million Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba last year.

Other top stories

  • Argentine striker Carlos Tevez has signed for Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua for £9 million. The club confirmed that Tevez will earn £226,000 a week, a considerably less amount than the eye-watering £615,000 sum that was reported.
  • Juventus manager Massimo Allegri wants to replace Arsene Wenger as Arsenal boss next season. Allegri has reportedly sent feelers to the Arsenal board, expressing his desire to become manager of the north-London club.
  • Arsenal and France full-back Mathieu Debuchy revealed that he is barely on talking terms with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. Debuchy added that the bad blood ensued after Wenger tried to block the full-back’s move to Manchester united.
  • Former Manchester United star player Juan Sebastian Veron, 41, has come out of retirement and signed an 18-month contract with Argentine top-flight team Estudiantes.   
  • The Indian women’s team progressed to the semi-finals of the SAFF Championships after Bangladesh thrashed Afghanistan 6-0 in their tournament opener. India had cruised to a 5-1 win against Afghanistan. Bangladesh also confirmed their place in the last four.
  • Transfer rumours suggest that Hungarian top division club Diósgyőri VTK are in talks with India’s Sandesh Jhingan for a possible transfer in January. However, I-League club DSK Shivajians are also in talks with Jhigan and are said to be favourites to sign him.