Former Sporting CP chief Carlos Severino has spoken of their sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United. United splashed out just over £13m to bring the promising 18-year-old Ronaldo to Old Trafford from Sporting in 2003.
Sporting's former communications director, Severino, has now revealed that the Primeira Liga club received only half of the fee paid by United for then young starlet.
"Sporting received just 8.25m [£6.5m] for the sale to Manchester United for the player who is currently the best in the world. It was poor business," he told Publico.
"Manchester United paid 17.5m [£13.7m] for Ronaldo, but 2.5m [£2m] was used to pay commissions and 5.25m [£4.1m] went to fund [third-party ownership group] First Portuguese Football Players, which owned 35% of the player's rights."
