LONDON // Michel Salgado says he could finish his career in the Emirates if he leaves Real Madrid. The experienced Spanish international defender has been linked with moves to England and Major League Soccer, but reveals that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are on his future agenda.
With the new Pro League starting next month, there is likely to be growing interest in the UAE from players around the world and Salgado, 32, is among them. "I like it a lot in the Emirates when I have been there and would like the challenge of playing," he says. "I have been at Real Madrid for [almost] 10 years, but if I move, I would like to play in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before I finish. It is an exciting region and sport is growing there."
For now, though, Salgado is focused on helping Real Madrid to more success this season. But the full-back, who has been at the Bernabeu since 1999, believes the club need to step up their bid to bring in new players like Cristiano Ronaldo following the injury to Wesley Sneijder. The Dutch midfielder is expected to be out of action for at least six months with a suspected ligament damage after being injured in Real's 1-0 Emirates Cup defeat to Arsenal.
Further medical tests are expected today, but the Madrid sporting director Pedrag Mijatovic and the coach Bernd Schuster moved quickly yesterday to secure the transfer of Rafael van der Vaart from Hamburg. He also hopes that Ronaldo will follow to strengthen the team in time for the start of the new season. "It is a problem for us now," he admits. "In a week-and-a-half we have the Super Cup to play. We have no new players, we have the same team as last year and now we have many injuries which leaves us short.
"Maybe we have to think about this [new signings] now and do something quickly. Maybe before this [injury] we did not need new players, but now we have to think about this and Mijatovic and the coach have to talk about this. "With Wesley being injured it is a problem. It's impossible to know how long he will be out for; the problem is in the knee and I hope it is only two or three months." Real are expected to hold talks with United over the sale of Ronaldo, with the player reportedly keen to leave Old Trafford despite the club's determination to keep him.
"We know Cristiano Ronaldo is an incredible player and we don't have a problem about him coming here," adds Salgado. "Real Madrid are making an offer and that is normal, and [Sir Alex] Ferguson and Manchester United do not want to sell. He is an important player for them so this is normal too." @Email:akhan@thenational.ae
