Cristiano Ronaldo ‘tells Real Madrid he wants to leave’ – and is said to want a sensational return to Manchester United
- Manchester United favourites to sign Portuguese forward
- Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants to return to Old Trafford
- Star wants to leave Real after lack of ‘protection’ from club after tax scandal
- Real Madrid will sell Ronaldo this summer, according to Marca… for £160m
- Ronaldo's team-mates reportedly claim he's only after a better contract
CRISTIANO RONALDO has sensationally told Real Madrid he wants to leave them and is said to favour a move back to Manchester United, according to reports in Spain and Portugal.
The four-time Ballon d'Or winner has enjoyed another sensational season at the Bernabeu but is said to feel the club has not protected him sufficiently after he was charged with allegedly evading £13million in tax.
Real Madrid appeared to completely back him, but a different picture has since emerged which may suggest why he wants out after eight years at the club.
reported this morning Ronaldo has decided his time in Spain has come to an end and he has communicated this "irreversible" decision as final to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
The shocking news was backed up hours later on the website of newspaper Marca, which is viewed as Madrid's mouthpiece.
Why doesn't Ronaldo feel 'protected'?
After Ronaldo was charged with defrauding the Spanish government of £13million — and Real Madrid publicly back their superstar.
However, privately, it was a little different.
El Confidencial claim that, as it emerged that news of Ronaldo's charge was going to break, the hierarchy contacted all the Spanish media outlets and requested them not to publish pictures of him in a Los Blancos shirt when covering the story.
The breakdown may be linked to reports in El Confidencial which claimed that, as it emerged that news of Ronaldo’s charge was going to break, Real contacted all the Spanish media outlets and requested them not to publish pictures of Ronaldo in a Los Blancos shirt when covering the story.
Ronaldo, who left Manchester United to join Real Madrid in 2009 and won everything with Los Blancos, was also puzzlingly left out of a video promo for Madrid's new kit.
Cristiano Ronaldo, back in 2014
"I love Manchester.
"Everyone knows that.
"Manchester is in my heart.
"I left many good friends there.
"The supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day."
And despite being a global superstar, he has frequently been jeered by disgruntled fans — and has spoken of his unhappiness at what he perceives to be a lack of gratitude.
Even though he is 32, Ronaldo is still one of the fittest athletes in football and his marketing worth means breaking the world record to sign him would still be profitable.
Cristiano Ronaldo next club
Man United - 11/8
PSG - 2/1
Any Chinese Super League Club - 5/2
Any MLS Club - 7/1
Sporting Lisbon - 10/1
AC Milan - 20/1
Barcelona - 33/1
Ronaldo to leave Real Madrid this summer - 6/4
Ronaldo to join any Premier League Club this summer - 9/4
But there are few clubs that could actually afford him.
Former side United are likely candidates — although, he did fall out with Jose Mourinho during his time as Real Madrid manager.
Paris Saint-Germain would certainly be keen to sign him as they look to fill the void left by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s exit last summer.
Chelsea and Manchester City could both certainly afford Ronaldo, but it unlikely he would be the type of personality either Pep Guardiola or Antonio Conte like to work with.
And his allegiance to United could stop either of those moves.
The Chinese Super League is another potential option open to Ronaldo — with agent Jorge Mendes revealing a unnamed club had made a sensational offer to sign him and that the superstar was happy at the Bernabeu.