Real Madrid Transfer News: Zlatan Ibrahimovic Warns Cristiano Ronaldo over Move

Paris Saint-Germain talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave a typically bullish response when quizzed about the prospect of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo joining him at the Parc des Princes, insisting he’d remain the main man.

According to Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague, Ronaldo will leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the near future, with the French champions the big favourites to land him. Nevertheless, Ibrahimovic doesn’t seem particularly fazed by the prospect of the Portuguese possibly stealing some of the limelight from him.

“No matter what’s been said or written, there’s only one chief at PSG,” the Swede told Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football-Espana), referring to himself. “I’ve felt part of this project from the moment I joined. Now everything is easier and we’ve built a great team together.”

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If Ronaldo is to join Ibrahimovic in the French capital, then PSG may have to act quickly. After all, the Swede’s contract is up at the end of the current season, with speculation continuing to rage about whether or not the forward will remain in Ligue 1—especially with the player himself hinting he’d quite like to return to former club Malmo.

While the veteran striker is very much the top dog when it comes to PSG, as we can see here courtesy of OptaFranz, when these two massive characters have come up against each other recently, Ronaldo has had the edge:

Of course, it’d be fascinating to see how Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo would fare for PSG in the same team. However, you suspect the Parisians would only make a major play for Ronaldo should their current goalscorer extraordinaire leave the club at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.

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For Real Madrid, letting a player as consistent in front of goal leave would be a massive gamble, even if they were to recoup a sizeable fee for a player who will be 31 next year. Indeed, replacing such a threat in attacking areas would be virtually impossible for the Los Blancos hierarchy with all the money in the world.

Jose Camacho, a former Real Madrid player and manager, told Radio 4G show A la Contra (h/t Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC) he thinks while Ronaldo’s void would be tough to fill initially, it wouldn’t be disastrous for Los Blancos to cash in:

"

Cristiano leaving would be important, but not so serious. Real Madrid will stay on the same path because they are a world-level club. But at the moment they have the best player in the world, because he has been recognised as that.

[…]

Real Madrid have a medium-term project. In my time they had many big name players, but not much thought for the future. The club now has a great squad, apart from having Cristiano, they have seven or eight players among the best in the world.

"

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Indeed, as noted here by Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror, despite becoming the club’s all-time record goalscorer earlier this season, Ronaldo’s recent demeanour will have had Madridistas worried:

Should Ibrahimovic leave PSG in the upcoming summer transfer window, there’d be obvious benefits for both the Ligue 1 side and Real should a deal be struck for Ronaldo. The French champions would have a ready-made figurehead to replicate Ibrahimovic’s output in terms of goals and gravitas, while Los Blancos would have a healthy lump sum to help build for the future.

If Ibrahimovic was to stay in Paris and Ronaldo also joined next summer, it’d make PSG games extremely fun to watch in 2016-17. The egos of the two could easily clash, but a renewed challenge for each could potentially push the pair on to even greater goalscoring heights. It’s likely to be one or the other for the Parisians, though.