Could Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid be headed for a high-profile divorce after nine years?
According in multiple reports in Spain, the Portuguese star, who is under contract until 2021, wants a new deal – apparently, he wants to be paid the same amount as Lionel Messi and Neymar – and he is said to be frustrated with Real Madrid dragging its feet.
Spanish sports daily AS reported that Ronaldo feels betrayed by club president Florentino Perez having reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contract, and that he is now looking to return to former club Manchester United.
Ronaldo, who turns 33 next month, has long been linked to a move back to Old Trafford, but Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has doubts that United would shell out the kind of money it would require to lure him away from Real Madrid.
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“Ronaldo’s message is he wants to leave, and it appears Real Madrid will be willing to let him go. However, Real would love to see a fight between PSG and Man Utd, but the situation is more complicated than simply being interested in the player,” Balague wrote on the Sky Sports’ website.
“To add to a net annual salary demand of around £44m, Real would also demand around £89m [transfer fee] for Ronaldo, which is an almighty expense for a player who would arrive aged 33.
“Here’s United’s conundrum: the club cannot show a lack of interest if it is confirmed that Ronaldo is on the market. But the huge amount of money his transfer would demand cannot be justified.”
Could it really happen? Could Ronaldo head back to Old Trafford? Could Paris Saint-Germain swoop in with a mega transfer offer, like they did last year with Neymar? Or will he remain at Real?
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