An unnamed Chinese Super League club offered Real Madrid €300 million ($316 million) for Cristiano Ronaldo, which would have paid him more than €100 million ($105 million) per season in wages.

“Money is not everything; the Spanish club is his life,” Jorge Mendes told Sky Sports Italia. “The Chinese market is a new market. They can buy a lot of players, but then again it is impossible to go for Ronaldo. Cristiano is the best player in the world and best ever. It is normal to have some offers.

“He won the European Championship with Portugal, it’s like winning the Italian league with Genoa: they were not the favorite.”

The transfer fee would have eclipsed the £93.2 million fee Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba.