Real plan £70m bid for Ronaldo

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has suggested the club will make another £70m push to sign Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the season, confident that this time they will get their man.

Schuster backed Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in December, and suggested former Real Madrid player Robinho had made a mistake by joining Manchester City.

Asked if he thought the possibility of signing Ronaldo (below) still existed, Schuster said: "Yes, I think so. I believe next year it will be a bit more difficult for his club to keep hold of him. There is hope that next year he will be with us."

The German coach was asked if Real Madrid would again be willing to pay up to €90m (£70m) for the services of the Portugal international, as was suggested last summer, and he said: "If you want him, then there is no other option. They are not going to let you have him for anything less.

"The club knows that and this year was willing to pay a very high price. Perhaps next year the price will be a bit less, but I think you have to be prepared to spend this sort of money. We have to do everything possible because it would be worth all the effort to have this player."

And the coach revealed that he believed Ronaldo was going to move to the Bernabeu this year, until the moment the player met with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Schuster said: "I always thought it was difficult, but possible, because the player showed so much interest. After winning the Champions League and the Premier League again he believed he had reached the end of a cycle there and he needed greater motivation.

"There was hope right up until the end but after his face-to-face meeting with Ferguson I realised that it was going to be impossible this year."

Schuster tipped Ronaldo to win this year's Ballon D'or, saying: "He deserves it – top goalscorer in Europe with 42 goals, League and Champions League double, that ought to be enough."

On Robinho's move from Real to City, Schuster said: "He heard that if Cristiano came he was going to be sold and it is understandable. That was the key. It is a real shame because the best club for him was Real Madrid and not where he is right now. I think he has made a mistake because he was poorly advised."