Ronaldo fee is 'astonishing', says Bristol Rovers' Lawrence

Bristol Rovers director of football Lennie Lawrence says the £80 million fee for Cristiano Ronaldo is further evidence that a handful of super-rich clubs are now dominating European football.

The world record transfer fee Real Madrid are set to part with for Manchester United's Portuguese star has sent shock waves through the footballing world.

And Lawrence believes it underlines the growing gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots' in the sport.

"It's an astonishing amount of money and probably a figure that would only be possible for four or four five clubs in the whole of Europe to contemplate spending," said Lawrence.

"People talk about the top end of the Premier League being a mini-league within a league, but there are probably only two British clubs who could even consider that sort of money – Manchester United and Chelsea.

"I do think there was an air of inevitability about Ronaldo going to Real Madrid, and United have probably done the deal at the right time.

"It's probably better for them to do it now than to have the whole thing turn into another protracted saga over the summer."

The £80 million fee is almost 14 times Rovers' annual turnover – that was £5.7 million in 2008 – and more than 200 times their club record transfer fee.

That was the £375,000 they paid to land Andy Tillson from QPR in 1992.

The most Bristol Rovers have received for a player was the £2 million they received when they sold Barry Hayles to Fulham in 1998.

Lawrence believes Rovers would now baulk at laying out the sort of money they paid for Tillson. Their biggest outlay in recent seasons was the £200,000 they paid Rochdale for striker Rickie Lambert.

"We would hope we could build a side capable of winning promotion to the Championship without paying that sort of money," he said. "It's a completely different story if you get there though."

Bristol City, however, are currently competitive in the Championship – despite resisting the temptation to spend beyond their means in a bid to keep up with a number of big-spending clubs in the second-tier.

"Our club is doing it the right way," said Johnson recently when speaking about the club's transfer policy.

"You can get into a lot of trouble if you throw money at things, as clubs like Norwich, Southampton and Charlton have found out.

"They have players they are desperate to get out but can't because they are on big wages.

"You have to do your business properly and work within a proper financial structure. Our wage structure is gradually rising and when there are players we feel are worth more, we would consider paying the right amounts."

Bristol City's record transfer outlay – £2.25 million for striker Nicky Maynard last summer – and the biggest fee received – £3.5 million from Wolves for Ade Akinbye in 1999 – are figures that pale into insignificance in comparison to the astronomical figure Real Madrid have tabled to prise Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.

Johnson is setting about the task of adding to his squad in a bid to mount a sustained play-off challenge next season – but will do it within the careful financial framework that will see City remain solvent.

"Every year you establish yourself in the Championship it means that you can push the boat out a little more," he aded.

"The chairman is willing to do that, but what you can't do is go from a certain figure to three or four times that figure in one go.

"If the chairman feels there is a value-for-money type player; one we could find early and was worth his wage we would do it.

"That is what we have done with Nicky Maynard. We took a chance on him and we think he will get better and better and be worth more than a couple of million in years to come."