ABERDEEN’S most celebrated footballer Denis Law today claimed the £80 million fee for Cristiano Ronaldo still wouldn’t be enough to buy George Best.
Ronaldo, the reigning World and European Player of the Year, was today set for talks with Real Madrid over a potential move that would shatter the world transfer record.
The astonishing deal comes just three days after Real set the record, paying AC Milan £59m for Brazilian playmaker Kaka.
Ronaldo is often compared to United legend Best, who died in 2005, but Aberdnoian Law feels his old team-mate had the edge.
Aberdeen’s most famous footballing son says Real wouldn’t have had to break the bank to buy Best – they would have had to blast it wide open.
Denis said: “Ronaldo is a very talented player, but George was absolutely fantastic.
“It is hard to imagine what sort of fee he would command if he was playing today.
“It would probably take more than £100m to get him, he was that good.”
Denis became a Manchester United idol between 1962 and 1973 where he was one third of the famous ‘Holy Trinity’.
Alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best, Law formed one of the most devastating forward lines in the history of football.
And Scotland’s joint-top goalscorer feels Ronaldo still has some way to go before he reaches the level of Best.
“It’s difficult to compare them, but George was better,” he said.
“If Ronaldo can maintain the standard he has set for the last few seasons over the next few years then he might be able to be compared to George, but he’s not there yet.”
Denis has experience of being at the centre of big-money deals.
Manchester United paid Torino £115,000 for his services in 1962, setting a British transfer record.
That was a fortune at the time – the world record was £152,000 – but the Aberdonian is staggered at the proposed fee for Ronaldo.
He said: “With the economic climate the way it is at the moment, it’s absolutely crazy to spend that kind of money.
“Coming so soon after they spent £59m on Kaka, it is astonishing the kind of money they are spending.
“I find it difficult to comprehend that amount of money, especially so with the financial crisis at the moment.
“It’s hard to imagine how any club can afford that kind of spending.”
The proposed deal will represent a healthy profit for Manchester United, as Sir Alex Ferguson paid just £12.24m for an 18-year-old Ronaldo in 2003.
The Portuguese came in for some criticism early on in his Old Trafford career for a lack of end product, but he has been moulded into arguably the most complete forward on the planet.
He has scored 118 goals in 292 appearances for United, compared to Best’s 167 in 361 appearances.
In 2008, the Portuguese broke Best’s record of 33 goals in one season from a winger when he bagged an incredible 42 strikes in 49 games.
Denis feels the mind-boggling fee could be justified if he carries on his form at the Bernabeu.
He said: “If he makes a difference to the team, then I guess Real Madrid won’t care how much they paid for him.
“If they are willing to pay that sort of money, then that’s up to them.
“It is an incredibly high fee, but he is an extremely good player.
“If he makes the team better, he will be worth the money.”
And Denis has backed Sir Alex Ferguson to make sure his title-winning side will not miss the skilful forward.
He said: “Sir Alex has shown in the past that he is expert at dealing with big players leaving.
“It’s very difficult for him in this day and age to refuse that kind of money; it was almost impossible to reject.
“In the past we have seen the likes of David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy leave, and if anything, the team has got better and better.
“I’m sure the same will happen again now because he is the best manager in the world and will carry on building the team.
“I actually think Sir Alex would rather lose Ronaldo than Wayne Rooney.
“Rooney can be just as devastating going forward as Ronaldo, but he is much more of a team player.”
His views were backed up by fellow Aberdonian John Fitzpatrick.
Denis and Fitzpatrick were team-mates at Old Trafford, with the latter in the squad that won the European Cup in 1968, which Law missed through injury.
He too wonders what fee Best would command in today’s market.
He said: “It’s staggering to think what Bestie would be worth in today’s prices.
“The nearest thing I’ve seen to him was Pele. Bestie was just a magician and if he was playing today, any fee would outstrip any other.”