Barcelona Transfer News: Shock Cristiano Ronaldo Enquiry Reported in Spain

Potential Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta reportedly enquired about Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid release clause during a recent dinner with Jorge Mendes, the player's agent.

Spanish radio network Cadena Ser (h/t AS) reported Thursday's lunch meeting, in which ex-Barca chief Laporta is said to have made his approach. Mendes allegedly rebutted any attempt to discuss the matter, calling Ronaldo's exit "impossible," just like he did when CR7 was linked to Manchester United in October.

However, Marca (h/t Football Espana) suggests the meeting took place on Wednesday and included time spent with Fernando Llorente and his agent. Such reports will certainly create plenty of speculation, especially as Laporta is reportedly aiming to gain support ahead of next season's presidential election at the Camp Nou.

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Ronaldo's potential transfer to Barcelona is one of the most unlikely switches in football—Bernd Schuster and Luis Figo are "still vilified" for moving the other way—but this isn't the first time Laporta has been reportedly trailing the player.

"Mendes offered him to us and for less than he went to United for, but we didn't have the finances at the time," he admitted on Spanish radio in 2013 (h/t Marca).

Such a revelation highlights how things could have progressed differently. Considering Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the same team is perhaps a fantasy best left to the video game world, but Laporta's recent meeting with Mendes—no matter which day—is a provocative gesture ahead of a potential election.

Laporta famously tried to lure David Beckham to Barcelona ahead of his first stint at the club. Instead, the Englishman headed to Real Madrid, while a certain Ronaldinho was brought in to pull on the Blaugrana colours. Similar tactics could be used again, despite Ronaldo remaining an unfeasible target.

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A potential problem for Laporta, however, is Barca's transfer ban.

If an election is called sooner than the current date of 2016—something likely candidate Augusto Benedito believes should happen, per ESPN FC—Laporta won't be able to immediately use the promise of big-money transfers to secure votes.

He recently admitted a potential election is "not my priority," but Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express reports he will look to secure former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho if he is ever re-installed.

Such an outlandish move would struggle to win him votes, per La Liga specialist Jason Pettigrove:

"

If Laporta thinks that tactic will win him votes, he is very sorely mistaken.

— Jason Pettigrove (@jasonpettigrove) November 7, 2014"

According to an Amber survey (h/t AS), Laporta would win 33.8 percent of the vote if an election was held now. Benedito would be his closest competitor with 23.9 percent, while current president Josep Maria Bartomeu could count on just 17.9 percent of support. It is therefore in Laporta's interest to make waves now in case a vote is called ahead of schedule.

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The politician's every move is likely to be followed in anticipation of an election. His lunch with Mendes may have been completely innocent—the pair have seemingly spoken business for over a decade—so it's premature to suggest one of the agent's clients will be lined up.