Respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has claimed that Real Madrid have tried and failed to find a buyer for Cristiano Ronaldo "all season".
The 31-year-old, who is currently nursing a thigh strain, has scored 47 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid this season and 360 in 344 games in total since making the move to Spain in 2009.
The attacker's long-term future at the Bernabeu has been questioned in recent months, but on Thursday it was reported that Ronaldo was ready to sign a new two-year extension with the Madrid club.
Balague has claimed that both Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have been offered the chance to sign the Portugal international, but neither have made a move.
"Real Madrid has tried all season to find a club that would buy him. Ronaldo has also toyed with the idea, no argument about it. But no club, not Manchester United, who have never been that interested, and not PSG, who have met the player five times but consider him still too expensive, have put an offer on the table," Balague told Sky Sports News.
"So, Real, with the FIFA ban affecting their decisions, have got two options. They either sell him cheaply, or renew his contract. Real offered two more years, but he wants three. What I see is a player that physically has peaked but is still the best goalscorer ever. The problem is he affects other players' decisions.
"For instance, would Gareth Bale want to be at Real another two years with Ronaldo next to him? Is Robert Lewandowski thinking about a move to Real Madrid because of the potential continuity of Ronaldo?"
Ronaldo is expected to miss his team's La Liga trip to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday afternoon.
Matt Law
