The ink on Gareth Bale’s multi-million Euro deal is barely dry, but Real Madrid are already well on the way to ensuring another of their stars stays in the Spanish capital.
Cristiano Ronaldo might be 31 years of age, past the peak of most players, but he is still arguably the best footballer in the world.
And now, as the Portuguese Euro 2016 champion looks to make another run for the Ballon d’Or, the club appear ready to offer him the chance to end his career at the Bernabeu.
#TheBest candidate Cristiano Ronaldo will sign a new contract with @realmadriden tomorrow, keeping him at the club until 30 June 2021 pic.twitter.com/W8tsjWxf1t
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) November 6, 2016
Madrid have confirmed the pending extension, and Ronaldo will be 36 years of age by the time his new deal expires.
He has already won everything there is to win at club level, including two Champions League trophies in the last three seasons, and had been urged by head coach Zinedine Zidane to see out the rest of his career with the 11-time winners of Europe’s elite competition.
“It is his dream to end his career here. I am happy that he can renew (his contract) and finish with this white shirt like I did a long time ago,” Zidane is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
But one big question remains: will he earn as much as Bale?
What a gentleman Cristiano Ronaldo is. He let Gareth Bale have his week as the best paid footballer in the world. A week's long enough.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) November 6, 2016
haha how convenient for ronaldo to get a new contract a week after Bale becoming the highest earner.
— Chris (@CWRyder) November 6, 2016
Did someone throw a strop cause Bale got a new contract… #Ronaldo
— Micky (@LFC_Mxcky) November 6, 2016
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