Cristiano Ronaldo ‘tells Real Madrid he wants to leave’ – and is said to want to go back to Manchester United

●Manchester United favourites to sign Portuguese forward
●Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants to return to Old Trafford
●Star wants to leave Real after lack of ‘protection’ from club after tax scandal
●Real Madrid will sell Ronaldo this summer, according to Marca… for £160m
●Ronaldo's team-mates reportedly claim he's only after a better contract

CRISTIANO RONALDO has sensationally told Real Madrid he wants to leave them and is said to favour a move back to Manchester United, according to reports in Spain and Portugal this morning.

The four-time Ballon d’Or winner has enjoyed another sensational season at the Bernabeu but is said to feel the club has not protected him sufficiently after he was charged with allegedly evading £13million in tax.

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to leave Real Madrid after eight years, say A Bola

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.

Keep up to date with all the latest news, gossip, rumours and done deals in SunSport’s live transfer blog

A Bola reported this morning Ronaldo has decided his time in Spain has come to an end and he has communicated this “irreversible” decision as final to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

The shocking news was backed up hours later on the website of newspaper Marca, which is viewed as Madrid’s mouthpiece.

Cristiano Ronaldo is with the Portugal squad preparing for the Confederations Cup in Russia

The breakdown may be linked to reports in El Confidencial which claimed that, as it emerged that news of Ronaldo’s charge was going to break, Real contacted all the Spanish media outlets and requested them not to publish pictures of Ronaldo in a Los Blancos shirt when covering the story.

Ronaldo, who left Manchester United to join Real Madrid in 2009 and won everything with Los Blancos, was also puzzlingly left out of a video promo for Madrid’s new kit.

Cristiano Ronaldo in training with Portugal boss Fernando Santos

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho famously clashed while at Real Madrid

And despite being a global superstar, he has frequently been jeered by disgruntled fans — and has spoken of his unhappiness at what he perceives to be a lack of gratitude.

Even though he is 32, Ronaldo is still one of the fittest athletes in football and his marketing worth means breaking the world record to sign him would still be profitable.

Marca claim Real Madrid are calm but aware Cristiano Ronaldo has made up his mind