Cristiano Ronaldo preparing for Real Madrid exit - so what's next for the Portuguese star?

Posted Saturday, June 17, 2017 by Express.co.uk

A FORTNIGHT ago everything was white and all right – or so it seemed in the world of Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid.

His golden smile illuminated the Millennium Stadium as much as his two goals as Real became the first team to retain the Champions League trophy with their 4-1 defeat of Juventus.

The only taxing part of the evening? Perhaps finding the extra strength to lift the weighty silverware, though adrenaline alone would have helped with that.

Yet two weeks later comes the possibility of Ronaldo and Real might end up as far apart as they have ever been as the Portuguese superstar opened the door to the shock threat of him leaving the club, and leaving Spain.

He is stunned by allegations being thrown at him by Spanish authorities over alleged tax evasion and as he said earlier in the week: “There has never been any hiding nor any intention to hide anything.”

Whatever the truth, what irony in the statement. Ronaldo and hiding? Now 32, has any footballer in the last decade put themselves at the centre of attention more on the pitch in the last 15 years than Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro?

Cristiano Ronaldo preparing for Real Madrid exit - so what's next for the Portuguese star?
Cristiano Ronaldo is outraged over allegations of tax fraud

When he left Sporting Lisbon for Manchester United in 2003, the £12.24m transfer fee made him the most expensive teenager in English football history. He was 18 and made his debut on August 16 when he came off the bench in the 61st minute against Bolton.

It was the first day of the season and his performance in those 29 minutes was so captivating that George Best said it was undoubtedly the most exciting debut performance I’ve ever seen”.

He did not hide that day, and on the football pitch he has not hidden since, making 292 appearances and scoring 118 times for United in a six-year period during which he won the Champions League once and the Premier League three times.

Spain was always his destiny and in 2009, Real’s lure was too much, leaving for a then world-record transfer fee of £80m and setting the foundation to make himself a legend.

Cristiano Ronaldo preparing for Real Madrid exit - so what's next for the Portuguese star?
Cristiano Ronaldo was instrumental in Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League final

His goals in Cardiff helped him collect a third Champions League title with Real in seven years. His second strike was his 600th career goal and he has won the Ballon d’Or six times, and for good measure the European Championships with Portugal last summer, even though he limped off during the final.

Away from the pitch he owns four hotels, including one in his home town of Funchal in Madeira, and Forbes lists him as the world’s richest sportsman over the past 12 months, banking $93million from wages and endorsements.

He insists: “There is no evasion.” But whether the case progresses or not, his time in Spain looks over such seems to be his anger and annoyance, though staggeringly he has a 1bn euro (£874.88m) release clause in the five-year deal he signed with Real signed eight months ago.

Which brings the story to what happens next...and what deal can be reached over the release of a player who has grown in stature and success the older he has become.

The sales of replica shirts alone would be bring in millions and Ronaldo has never swayed in his devotion to United. But equally, and while it would seem unimaginable now, Manchester City would have the financial clout to join the chase.

A player with his desire for the top honours might reject Major Soccer League in the USA, though the allure of Paris and Qatari-owned PSG could tempt him. They would surely have the funds.

As does the Chinese Super League, where Carlos Tevez earns around £615,000 a week at Shanghai Shenhua. Ronaldo could become the first £1m-a-week player from football alone.

It is about the only individual honour in the game he doesn’t have.