Real Madrid will officially announce a new contract for Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday that could keep him at the club until he is 36.
The new five-year deal will be confirmed during an ‘official event’ held in the Santiago Bernabeu’s presidential box on Monday lunchtime.
The 31-year-old will have been at the club for 12 years if he sees out his new deal which is not believed to include any major salary hikes but does keep him as the club’s top earner just above Gareth Bale.
Ronaldo earns around £365,000-a-week and neither that nor his billion euro buy-out clause will show any considerable change. But the length of his new deal still shows a major commitment from the club.
He endured his worst start to a season during this campaign but the club’s record goalscorer with 371 goals in 359 games has said many times he wants to finish his career in the Spanish capital and the club have given him what he wants.
Sources in Madrid say the club may yet make the final year of the new deal optional with both sides needing to agree on it before the start of the 2020-21 season but even a four plus one year deal would be a massive statement of intent with a player of Ronaldo’s age.
He signed his first Madrid contract in 2009 when he joined the club from Manchester United.
He has since won two European Cups but still only one league title in six years.
Real coach Zinedine Zidane made reference to Ronaldo’s new deal when speaking after Madrid’s 3-0 win over Leganes on Sunday afternoon.
‘I’m happy because he is a player who has to finish his career in Madrid. It is unique,’ Zidane said in comments reported by Marca.
‘His dream is to finish here and why I’m glad he has renewed and will end it in this white shirt as I did.’
RONALDO’S REAL HONOURS
La Liga: 2011–12
Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14
Spanish Super Cup: 2012
Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16
UEFA Super Cup: 2014
FIFA Club World Cup: 2014
