Cristiano Ronaldo 'excited' by potential Real Madrid return

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been described as ‘willing to leave Italy’ if he gets an offer to return to former club Real Madrid.

The 36-year-old left Madrid in 2018 after scoring 450 goals in nine years and winning four Champions League titles.

Juve had hoped to make Ronaldo the jewel of their crown as they looked to finally get over the line in Europe, having lost Champions League finals in both 2015 and 2017 and failing to lift the elusive trophy since their last triumph in 1996.

But despite 95 goals in 123 appearances from Ronaldo and two more Serie A titles in his first two seasons, Juve have once more fallen short in Europe after getting knocked out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage by Porto. Even their domestic dominance is now crumbling too.

Marca has reported that Ronaldo would be ‘excited’ about the possibility of returning to Madrid, with his former side’s own fortunes also dipping in his absence at the Bernabeu. It is said that he understands his time in Turin is over and that he is now ‘ready’ to leave.

Publicly, Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici recently pledged the club’s determination for Ronaldo to stay. But it was first rumoured several months ago that Juve were thinking about moving on from Ronaldo, whose enormous salary are a considerable strain on financial resources, and has again been said by AS that removing his contract from the books will be what makes Juve give in.

Ronaldo himself may have to take the first step and present a concrete exit path to the Italian giants, but if he does that it is said that Juve would accept a transfer fee of just €25m.

Juve are still happy to keep him for the final year of a contract that expires in 2022, but if there is an offer it could be in the best interest of both parties to bid farewell a year early.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane recently failed to rule out the possibility of Ronaldo returning to Madrid, while Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain will never be far away from speculative headlines should the five-time Ballon d’Or winner become available.

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