Let me go Ronaldo wants to quit Real after tax fraud accusation
Portuguese angered by lack of support in Spain PSG and United could tempt him into leaving
Cristiano Ronaldo is so upset after being accused of tax fraud in Spain that he wants to leave Real Madrid.
The revelation from sources close to Ronaldo will be treated with caution by clubs who previously tried to sign him, although Paris St-germain appear to be his most likely destination should he leave Madrid after eight years.
The possibility of a return to Manchester United will also resurface not least because Ronaldo and United manager Jose Mourinho are both clients of agent Jorge Mendes and there is continued interest from Old Trafford.
However that link with Mourinho can be overplayed, while United felt used after they believed Ronaldo was ready to return in the summer of 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson retired and David Moyes was appointed manager, only for him to sign a new contract in Madrid.
Nevertheless United, who have also made attempts in the past to sign Ronaldo’s Real team-mate Gareth Bale and hope to soon conclude a deal for Álvaro Morata, are unfazed by the fact that Ronaldo is 32. United believe he can play at the top for many years to come not least because of the way he has adapted his game and he has not suffered any significant injuries.
PSG would represent a new challenge and in a league that he could dominate – repeatedly winning the Ballon D’OR is an obsession that is less easily fulfilled in the Premier League – with the club having made presentations in the past including pointing out that Paris has the largest Portuguese community outside Portugal. A new contender could be Italy with the Milan clubs, in particular, investing heavily and it is understood that, should he leave, Ronaldo will stay in Europe.
He is upset after being accused by Spanish prosecutors of defrauding the authorities by evading tax to the value of €14.7million (£13million) between 2011 and 2014. He denies the charge, believing he has always acted honestly and feels that it is a slur on his character.
Beyond that, Ronaldo is annoyed that he does not receive the same level of adulation from Real’s supporters as Lionel Messi enjoys at Barcelona. He was even whistled at during matches last season and reacted angrily.
Real have released a statement saying they have “full confidence” in the player and that they are convinced he will prove his innocence of the accusations.
Ronaldo signed a new five-year deal only last November at the club he helped to retain the Champions League last month, scoring twice in the final against Juventus.
Reports that Ronaldo wanted to leave Real first surfaced yesterday in the Portuguese newspaper A Bola, which claimed that his decision was “irreversible” and that he had told team-mates that he wanted out. There will be scepticism over the claims, but sources close to Ronaldo confirmed that his upset was genuine and that he felt he had not received enough support.