Real Madrid want Cristiano Ronaldo to tell supporters he was not forced out of the club, if he completes his move to Juventus. President Florentino Perez and chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez are wary of a possible backlash from supporters, so if they allow Ronaldo to leave for €100million (£88m) instead of his €1billion (£886m) release clause they want him to address fans and absolve the club from any blame over his departure.
The Ronaldo camp has briefed throughout the last 12 months of discontent that he felt betrayed by not being offered a new contract at the start of last season. And that he felt let down again when the contract offer finally arrived in January but was an incentive-loaded deal. But the player and his agent Jorge Mendes will have to strike a more conciliatory note if the club are to help him leave and it was in that more forgiving tone that Mendes spoke to Portuguese paper Record on Thursday.
He said: ‘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.’ Real also want Ronaldo to partake in a ceremonial send-off to mark his career and achievements in the Spanish capital but the player is understood to favour a video message to say goodbye to his supporters. Juventus are on the verge of pulling off one of the most stunning transfers in history by prising Ronaldo from Madrid. Mendes met with Real Madrid on Wednesday for talks on Ronaldo’s future – and probably to negotiate his shock exit.