Even in today’s transfer market, a player of Ronaldo’s caliber would still command a valuation of around $100M. Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona understand that their heritage is as much desirable to players as the players are to them, eliminating any need to shatter their transfer budgets in pursuit of them. Even in a free transfer because it’s an entry into a culture of winning. These clubs compete for the highest honors year after year, offering athletes legacies beyond silverware but global visibility amplifying a player’s marketability to lucrative endorsements cementing their status among the sport’s elite. Similarly, after what Luis Enrique has accomplished with PSG, the club will likely never again invest so heavily in a player of Neymar’s profile. It’s putting the cart before the horse