Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new deal at the club – ending any hope Manchester United had that he would one day return to Old Trafford.
The Spanish giants did not reveal details of the contract extension, which the Portuguese signed alongside club president Florentino Perez at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But media reports suggest the 28-year-old forward will become the world’s highest paid footballer on a salary of 17 million euros a year after tax, which does not include bonuses.
In comparison, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi earns 16 million euros per year, while Los Blancos’ most recent signing, Gareth Bale, is on a salary of 10 million euros a year.
Reports had suggest the Red Devils were keen on taking Ronaldo back to Manchester, particularly after the player admitted last year that he was unhappy and felt unloved in Madrid.
But the new deal, which runs until 2018, puts an end to that speculation and also ends uncertainty as to who is the top dog at the Santiago Bernabeu following the arrival of Bale in a 91 million euro deal from Tottenham Hotspur.
Ronaldo has scored 203 goals in 203 games for Real Madrid since his arrival in 2009, his last one coming last night in his side’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal in La Liga.
