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As Cristiano Ronaldo tries to clear up his comments after the UCL final, the FC crew read between the lines and ponder his future at Real Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid this summer and his decision is “irreversible,” according to reports in Portugal.
The front page of Diario Record has a photograph of Ronaldo with the headline: “Ronaldo will leave Real – Irreversible decision.”
Ronaldo’s contract at the Bernabeu commits him to the reigning European champions until June 2021.
Record claims that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has reached this conclusion, less than two weeks after winning his third straight Champions League with Madrid, not because of money but rather status, and because of unkept promises from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
El diario Récord de Portugal anuncia que Cristiano Ronaldo se va del Madrid pic.twitter.com/I9Rj9yskpC
— Alfredo Martínez (@Alfremartinezz) June 7, 2018
Correio Da Manha also attributes Ronaldo’s alleged decision to Perez, claiming that he had promised the club’s all-time top scorer shortly after winning the Champions League in the 2016-17 campaign a €14 million increase from his annual wages which never happened. The outlet reports that Ronaldo currently earns €23.6m per season and had agreed with Perez to see that upped to €37m net after tax.
Spanish daily AS reports that Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge mendes, will meet with the Madrid hierarchy again on Thursday.
Ronaldo has remained tight-lipped regarding his future since casting doubt over his future at Madrid after the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 26 when he spoke about his time at the club in the past tense.
Sources close to Ronaldo confirmed to ESPN FC in January that the Portugal captain wanted to leave the club after a new contract delay.
Ronaldo felt he deserved a pay rise, especially having seen Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar sign deals earning far more.
The 33-year-old forward, who joined Madrid in 2009 from Manchester United, is preparing for the World Cup with Portugal.
Ronaldo remained silent about his future but did speak about his team’s chances at the tournament in Russia at Belem Palace in Lisbon on Wednesday where he and his teammates gathered and had an audience with the country’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The Euro 2016 winners begin their World Cup campaign against neighbours Spain on June 15. They also take on Morocco and Iran.
Manchester United’s Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho recently said that having Ronaldo in the squad gives Portugal an edge at the World Cup.
“I can guarantee great ambition from all the team,” Ronaldo said. “We are not favourites but in football nothing is impossible. The group stages are going to be very difficult but with the players that we have, we can think big. We will give our best, with humility, we are going to do the same as we did in 2016, fight until the end and step by step see what happens. It’s a privilege to represent our nation and let’s see what awaits us.”
Ronaldo posted a photograph on Twitter with Portugal’s possible starting XI and the message: “Ready.”
Adriana Garcia is a Valencia-based football writer who covers La Liga for ESPN FC.
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