Cristiano Ronaldo trains at Real Madrid’s training ground as he looks for new club

Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground, four years on from leaving the club after an iconic stint at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

The Portuguese star, as reported by Spanish publication Relovo, trained alone at the facility as he looks to keep himself in shape as he searches for a new club.

Ronaldo has been a free agent since mutually terminating his contract with Manchester United last month, on the back of his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly spending a few days at Real Madrid’s training ground

It’s said that the 37-year-old asked Real Madrid president Florentino Perez if he could train at Valdebebas for a few days following Portugal’s World Cup exit.

Perez gave Ronaldo the green light to use their facilities, telling the Portuguese star: ‘Of course, this is your home.’  

Ronaldo cemented his legacy as one of football’s greatest ever players during his nine-year stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Among his wide array of honours at the club, he won two LaLiga titles, four Champions League trophies, while four of his five Ballon d’Or gongs were awarded to him during his time at the club.

It would have been emotional for Ronaldo to return to the club’s training ground after what has been a tumultuous four years since.

However, it’s not quite the same for Ronaldo, as he had to train away from the club’s current batch of players, who are being led by his former manager Carlo Ancelotti.  

Ronaldo (pictured in 2018) left Real Madrid for Juventus four years ago and is now a free-agent

His second stint at Manchester United didn’t go to plan with his contract mutually terminated

While some players are taking a week off following elimination from the World Cup, Ronaldo has wasted no time in getting back to training.

One interested party in Ronaldo’s services is reportedly Antero Henrique, head of the Qatar Stars League.

Henrique is said to have gone straight to Ronaldo to express an interest in bringing him back to the gulf nation following the World Cup.

He is hoping Ronaldo will join a Qatari club but Mendes is working on a different proposal, the report claims. 

There had also been reports that Ronaldo could join Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr on January 1.

Ronaldo has wasted no time getting back into training following Portugal’s World Cup exit

But sources close to Ronaldo told Sportsmail reports of a deal being complete were ‘nonsense’. 

AS claim that Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes are going through another ‘rocky spell’ in their longstanding relationship.

This wouldn’t be the first time there have been strains in their partnership, as what has felt like a ‘father and son’ relationship has experienced ‘ups and downs’ over the years.  

Ronaldo has always had a good relationship with Madrid’s president, who declared back in 2019 on Onda Cero: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo has never created a problem in Madrid. He has been an example and I will remember him as the best player we have signed. 

‘He has always been exemplary, a professional like the cup of a pine tree. I’ve always had a perfect relationship with him and I’ve never had any personal or money problems.’

More to follow…