Reigning UEFA Champions League champions Real Madrid have opted to keep the future of their star players locked down to the Santiago Berbabeu until probably the end of their careers, according to reports.
Madrid have been quiet this summer in the transfer market, with President Florentino Perez and coach Zinedine Zidane confessing that the team needs no improvement aside the return of Alvaro Morata from Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club back in 2009 from Manchester United for a world record transfer fee, and remains the face of the club. Gareth Bale’s deal broke Ronaldo’s record when Real got him from Tottenham in 2013. He is believed to be Ronaldo’s replacement after retirement, but the new deals do not suggest that
Bale is the second highest paid player at Real Madrid, taking £9.44 million annually. Ronaldo leads with his impressive wages of £14.59 million, but Bale’s terms would see an increase with the new deal. Madrid is also extending the deal of youngster Martin Odegaard until 2021. He was set to go on loan with Rennes the leading contender until they changed their mind. They claim they do not want issue due to the rules on underage signings, despite FIFA extant laws allowing the transfer of players above 16 years to move within the European Union. Bundesliga clubs couldn’t match the wages required, and there were no bids from the Premier League so Madrid decided to keep him.
