JOHANNESBURG (AP)

FIFA president Sepp Blatter defended the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and said yesterday the move shows that football still was a healthy market during the financial crisis.

"It means that our product is still a good product," Blatter said ahead of the Confederations Cup. "If this is the game of the people, they need stars."

Manchester United accepted a world record transfer offer for Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday, clearing the World Player of the Year to negotiate personal terms with Madrid.

Blatter's reaction contrasted with previous comments he has made about excessive spending for players and financial moves that could undermine the health of football clubs, especially in England.

no objections

He had no such objections yesterday, despite the record unconditional offer of £80 million ($US131 million; €93 million) that Manchester United received for Ronaldo.

"Let us be a little be a bit generous about that," Blatter said. "OK, it is a lot of money, but he is performing."

While businesses are in trouble all over the world because of a faltering economy, Blatter said it showed the global appeal of the game.

"That means there is still demand to have a star," Blatter said. "We are on the market, and we are on a very sensitive market nowadays because there is an economic crisis. In football, we are in still on the good market."

Blatter said that the transfer total was not really different from the sums exchanged for Brazil striker Ronaldo more than a decade ago.

"It was already $50 million more than 10 years ago," he said. "So what is 80 million pounds now?"

won't service debt

On the financial front, it is understood that the profits from the sale of Ronaldo will not be used to service United's debts, which have spiraled to almost $1 billion.

The return of Florentino Perez as Madrid's president has changed things as the billionaire looks to spend to return the Spanish side to the glory days of its 'galactico' era.

Kaka was signed from AC Milan earlier this week for a reported fee of about €65 million ($92 million). But the offer for Ronaldo would eclipse that and the $65 million they paid to get former France striker Zinedine Zidane from Juventus in 2001.