REAL MADRID boss Zinedine Zidane has begged Cristiano Ronaldo not to leave the club, saying: “Cris, we need you.”
The Portuguese forward, 32, stunned the club by threatening to quit this earlier week.
Talk of Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid surfaced on Friday morning in papers across Spain and Portugal.
Four-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo had enjoyed another sensational season at the Bernabeu.
But he is said to feel the club has not protected him sufficiently after he was charged with allegedly evading £13million in tax.
Real Madrid appeared to completely back him, but a different picture has since emerged which may suggest why he wants out after eight years at the club.
The breakdown may be linked to reports in El Confidencial.
They claimed Real contacted all the Spanish media outlets and requested them not to publish pictures of Ronaldo in a Madrid shirt when covering the tax story.
The Euro 2016-winning forward was also puzzlingly left out of a video promo for Madrid’s new kit.
Immediately speculation rose Ronaldo could be set for a Manchester United return, as CR7 has always reaffirmed his love for the club.
In 2014, Ronaldo told the Telegraph: “I love Manchester. Everyone knows that. Manchester is in my heart.
"I left many good friends there. The supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day."
With Ronaldo edging closer to forcing a move away, French boss Zidane has begged his star man to stick around as they need him.
Marca claim Zizou called the Portuguese forward - despite being away on a family holiday in Italy - saying: "Cris, we need you."
Zidane sees Ronaldo are still critical to his team's future hopes, despite his advancing years, and will reportedly do anything to keep him around - including paying off his £13million tax bill.
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Florentino Perez is understood to have arranged a meeting with superagent Jorge Mendes on Sunday for crisis talks.
Marca claims the Madrid president remains reluctant to sell Ronaldo but would consider offers of around £175m - despite the Portuguese having an £870m release clause.
Yet Ronaldo's advisors have reportedly told clubs they believe a deal could be done for a lower fee of £131m, insisting he wants a "new challenge".
United remain frontrunners, along with moneybags French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
But Premier League rivals Man City and Chelsea have also been linked with audacious bids for the Old Trafford icon.
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