Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid Champions League final 2017-18Getty Images

Madrid unconcerned as Ronaldo eyes summer exit

The sensational claims that Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to leave Real Madrid have made little impact at the club, and the Blancos are not yet resigned to losing their star. 

Portuguese daily Record affirmed on Thursday that Ronaldo had made an "irreversible" decision to leave the Bernabeu, a story which Goal has confirmed with sources inside the Champions League winners. 

The report states that the Portugal striker is incensed over the failure to follow through on a bumper new contract promised to him in 2017 by president Florentino Perez. 

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Ronaldo, whose current deal is up in 2021, is said to want wage parity with football's highest earners, Lionel Messi and Neymar, after both stars overtook him with fresh contracts over the past 12 months.

Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter and Roma are just some of the sides who could potentially benefit from Ronaldo's exit after nine trophy-laden years in Spain. 

Indeed, even in the bask of glory following Champions League final victory over Liverpool in May, the star dropped a big hint over his future

"Now we have to enjoy this moment,” Ronaldo told beIN Sports  after the game. “In the next few days I will give an answer to the fans that have always been on my side.

"It was very nice to be at Real Madrid, in the coming days I will talk about it more."

Madrid, however, are not panicking while Ronaldo prepares for the World Cup with Portugal and will not be brow-beaten into a decision on his future. 

Reaction to Record's bombshell has been far more subdued inside the club than in 2017, when Ronaldo's wish to exit came as a huge shock to the Merengue authorities. 

Sources consulted by Goal insist that this is not the final chapter of a transfer saga that looks set to rumble on throughout the summer, while there are still hopes that the striker will eventually opt to stay for at least another term. 

Ronaldo, 33, smashed an amazing 15 goals in 13 Champions League games to lead Madrid to their third straight title, while he also hit 26 La Liga goals in a season that caught fire in 2018 after a difficult end to the previous year.

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