Report: Ronaldo agrees to 4-year contract with Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus is beginning to materialise, as the Portuguese superstar has agreed to a four-year contract worth €30 million per season to move away from Real Madrid and join the Italian champion, according to Ed Aarons and Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian.

It’s the latest development in a story that’s picked up steam ever since Ronaldo hinted at leaving Real Madrid following the Champions League final.

Reports in Spain earlier this week suggested Ronaldo choose to leave the Santiago Bernabeu after he wasn’t offered a better contract, and because of his poor relationship with club president Florentino Perez.

Ronaldo has expressed his desire to join Juventus and been in touch with Andrea Agnelli, the club’s director.

Ronaldo has a release clause worth €1 billion in his contract, but Juventus is confident it can get a deal done for a fraction of that price. Juventus has reportedly submitted an offer worth €100 million, while Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is believed to be in the process of holding talks with Perez to ensure the deal goes through.

If the move is completed, Mendes could be set to collect a €10-million commission fee.

“If it happens, it will be a new chapter and a new challenge in his brilliant career,” Mendes said, as translated by The Guardian, after conducting a meeting with Madrid’s vice-president, Jose Angel Sanchez. “If Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Real Madrid, he will remain eternally grateful to the club, the president, all the staff without exception, as well as the Madrid fans throughout the world.”

Despite reports over the past few years of a possible return to Manchester United, the Premier League outfit will not launch a bid this summer to sign Ronaldo, according to Sky Sports.

Friday marks the nine-year anniversary of Ronaldo’s unveiling at Real Madrid following the completion of his £80 million (€94 million) transfer from United, which was a world-record transfer fee at the time.