Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has insisted he was never interested in signing Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer because of his association with Real Madrid.
The 37-year-old was linked with a return to Spain in the recent transfer window, with Atletico reported to be one of the sides interested in the Portuguese veteran. It is thought that the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli also expressed an interest in the forward.
Atletico's fans made their feelings about the rumours known by unveiling a "CR7 NOT WELCOME" banner during a friendly match.
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However, Simeone has now broken his silence on the La Liga's club's reported interest in the United striker, with the 52-year-old admitting that a move was never on the cards due to the negative reaction it would have caused among the supporters.
"What these little birds [journalists] have said is far from what happened," Simeone told Tigo Sports reporter Martin Liberman. "People sometimes speak to tell you what they want to tell, not what actually happens. Ronaldo is an absolute benchmark for Real Madrid.
"You wouldn't see [Martin] Palermo or [Juan Roman] Riquelme play for River Plate or [Ariel] Ortega playing for Boca Juniors. There are certain situations that are very clear."
Simeone added: "I remember in pre-season when a fan behind me, without knowing what was happening, yelled 'Cholo, careful, it's not the Champions League at all costs'.
"I liked that because it's a healthy reflection of what I felt at that time. We signed Luis Suarez [from Barcelona] before, but that is different to the Ronaldo case."
During his time with Real Madrid, Ronaldo registered 450 goals and 131 assists in 438 appearances. The forward also won two La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.
Although Simeone was keen to distance himself from a move for the Portugal international, he did express his admiration for the veteran attacker, admitting that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has enjoyed a remarkable career.
"I have no doubt Ronaldo will score goals again as he's done it all his life," he said. "It's impossible for him to walk away if he's mentally as strong as he's always been."
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