Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Cristiano Ronaldo will STAY at Real Madrid despite Juventus links - Luka Modric
CRISTIANO RONALDO will remain at Real Madrid in spite of strong links over a move to Juventus.
Juventus hold meeting with Ronaldo's agent over transfer
That is the opinion of his team-mate Luka Modric.
The Portuguese ace has been linked with an £88million move to the Serie A champions due to a fall-out with Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Widespread reports have indicated that Italian giants Juve are confident of landing the 33-year-old having prepared a contract worth £26.5million-a-yearin order to sign the superstar.
Ronaldo has not extended his deal with Real Madrid with it thought that he is frustrated with Perez over a failure to keep promises to pay the player as much as Lionel Messi and Neymar.
I think he's going to stay, that's my opinion.
The former Manchester United attacker’s future at the Bernabeu has been uncertain since helping Los Blancos to a third successive Champions League triumph back in May.
He hinted at the possibility of leaving the Spanish capital by insisting: “It was very nice to be at Madrid.”
But Modric, who helped Croatia to the World Cup semi-finals last night by eliminating hosts Russia on penalties, is confident he will still be playing alongside Ronaldo in Madrid in 2018-19.
The midfielder said, as quoted by Spanish outlet AS: “Let’s see what happens. I do not think he's going to leave.
“I’d like him to stay because he's the best player in the world, it means a lot and I hope he stays.
“I think he's going to stay, that's my opinion.
“It would be great if he stayed because I can not imagine him in any other European team.”
Modric's Croatia face England in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Wednesday (7pm). Meanwhile, Ronaldo is currently on holiday after Portual were eliminated at the last-16 stage by Uruguay last weekend.