COMMENT: Geez, he didn't miss did he? Santos Marquez absolutely ripped apart Florentino Perez yesterday in an explosive interview with AS.

The anger was to be expected. After all, as Iker Casillas' agent, Marquez will have seen up close how the former Real Madrid captain's relationship with the president had deteriorated over the past two years.

But it wasn't just the treatment of Porto's celebrated signing that had Marquez breathing fire. He also dropped the bombshell of Cristiano Ronaldo's image rights deal with a rival club president.

The decision from Ronaldo's camp to sell his half of his image rights to Peter Lim's Mint Media barely raised a whimper in the press when it was announced last month. But today, it's now front and centre - thanks to Marquez.

He wanted to raise the issue yesterday - "Can I get into the rights?" he asked, before continuing, "Did anyone raise their voice to ask Cristiano why he has sold the rights to Peter Lim?".

Marquez was speaking on behalf of many powerbrokers connected to Real, baffled over the lack coverage and analysis of Ronaldo's decision to 'jump into bed' with the president of Valencia.

Marquez is no mug. He was at the ground floor of Real's original Galacticos policy, helping Perez, during his first spell in charge, to bring Zinedine Zidane to the club. Marquez also was at the centre of the infamous deal for Luis Figo, prising him away from 'eternal rivals' Barcelona. When he speaks, Madridistas should listen. He's no Robinson Crusoe when it comes to concerns over Ronaldo.

"Cristiano is preparing for his departure from Madrid because what is happening is not normal," he remarked.

"It seems like Madrid is no more. The team is the goose that laid the golden egg."

Indeed, the idea of image rights at Real Madrid was the brainchild of Florentino. He was a trailblazer over his demands of a 50-50 split with Real's star players. The president argued (successfully) that a player stood more to gain by working with Real than going it alone.

At Barca, Lionel Messi, since his first deal in 2005, had owned 100 per cent of his image rights until the latest contract he signed just last year.

Thanks to Florentino's ingenuity, what's kept Real at the top of tree hasn't been shirt sales, nor Champions League cash, it's been image rights. That's how the millions are raked in every year. And with a policy that no name is bigger than Real Madrid.

Until now.

With Ronaldo joining Mint Media, it means Florentino and Real Madrid find themselves at the whim of Valencia's president. Sure, any deal Mint Media negotiates must be cleared by Real. But the same also applies for Florentino's marketing team. Real now find themselves in the stunning situation of having to 'check' with the Los Che president about the commercial running of the club. It's a relationship that for an 'institution' of Real's stature is seemingly unsustainable.

But it may not be commercial interests that end this relationship.

In Melbourne on Saturday, Rafa Benitez introduced what we had been seeing in the lead-up last week. Against Roma, it was Gareth Bale in the central role, playing behind Jese Rodriguez. Ronaldo did appear, but was shunted to the left-flank, just as he was in bounce games during the week.

"He (Florentino) thinks Bale is the best in the world," Marquez also claimed in that interview. "He does not know, nor care who has won the Ballon d'Or. Bale will play where he wants."

So, if Bale is to be the star of this new era under Benitez, where does that leave Ronaldo? Indeed, will he cop it?

As ever, in the background is super agent Jorge Mendes. It was he who drove the deal with Lim's Mint Media. As it was the Portuguese who, it is claimed, offered Ronaldo to Louis van Gaal, the Manchester United manager, in January. The Dutchman gave the proposal short shrift. But Mendes could see the writing on the wall, hence the Mint Media deal.

Van Gaal aside, relations between Mendes and United management remain strong. Indeed, a helluva lot stronger than between the agent and Florentino.

Despite the rift with Van Gaal, Mendes is still working with United. Ed Woodward, United's chief negotiator, has roped him in to assist with talks over a deal for Valencia centre-half Nicolas Otamendi. The communication lines between United and Ronaldo's camp remain as strong and open as ever.

For his part, Peter Lim would love to see Ronaldo return to Old Trafford. The Valencia president is United mad and holds a stake in Salford City along with Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, both currently part of United's coaching staff. He's also just installed Phil Neville as Valencia coach Nuno's No2.

Ronaldo to United? It's improbable, right? But 12 months ago, we were saying the same thing about Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao. Prising Bastian Schweinsteiger away from Bayern Munich proves United are again competing at the summit.

Discussing his diminishing striker options last week, Van Gaal stated: “I am not worried about depth of forwards. We still have (Wayne) Rooney. He can play in the striker's position.

"We also have Chicharito (Javier Hernandez), (James) Wilson and maybe a surprise, you never know. It is a process. I am not worried about that position."

Could that "surprise" be Ronaldo? Geez, if that's the case, is it any wonder Van Gaal is "not worried" about where the goals will come from this new season?