Brazil legend to buy Spanish Segunda Divison club

Bengaluru, June 1: Brazil legend Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima is interested in buying Spanish second tier side Valladolid, according to reports in his homeland.

The former Brazil international has links to the Segunda Division club as vice-president Jose Moro is his partner in their wine business Cepa 21.

And Globo report a deal is close, with the two-time World Cup-winner ready to pay £26million to buy the Segunda Division club. The report also adds that negotiations are already taking place with Valladolid president Carlos Suarez.

However Marca claim these reports are jumping the gun and that, at present, there have been no talks — though Suarez would be willing to sell should such an offer arrive.

Valladolid finished seventh in the second tier last term and were last in La Liga in the 2013-14 season. Their best-ever top flight finish was fourth, back in the 1962-63 campaign, and they were twice Copa del Rey finalists.

Ronaldo has a good reputation in La Liga, having won trophies with both Barcelona and Real Madrid during his illustrious career.

The Catalans made him the most expensive player in the world when they bought him for £13.2m from PSV Eindhoven in 1996 and he helped them win the Copa del Rey and Cup Winners' Cup.

In 2002, he returned to Spain with Real Madrid, winning a La Liga title in his first season. He added another La Liga to his illustrious trophy collection in 2006-07 before leaving for Italian giants AC Milan.

Valodolid finished sixth in the Segunda Division this season but Ronaldo buying the club could well change their entire fortune. He is regarded as one of the best players ever to grace the football pitch and he owning the club would bring only positives both on and off the pitch.

Big money could be invested with a legend like Ronaldo owning the club and the player recruitment could become better with more exposure.

Money involved in football in Spain is overall much lesser than that of England if the two nations are compared but the scenario could change in coming years with better TV deals where the money will be divided among all the clubs.

Currently Real Madrid and Barcelona share the majority of the TV money but big personnels involved with other clubs could change the scenario that will be good for Spanish football.