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Report: Real Madrid doesn't think it's time to improve Ronaldo's deal

Denis Doyle / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Real Madrid is reportedly hesitant about making Cristiano Ronaldo the planet's best-paid footballer.

According to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, Real Madrid doesn't feel it's time to renew Ronaldo's contract, continuing the rift between the Portuguese superstar and Los Blancos. The product of Sporting Clube de Portugal apparently wants a new deal to become the highest-paid footballer in the world and believes he deserves it after winning The Best FIFA Men's Player Award and the Ballon d'Or. He allegedly doesn't like seeing Lionel Messi and Neymar earning more.

Der Spiegel reported Monday that Messi had become the first player to be guaranteed an annual income of more than €100 million from a club. Germany's leading news magazine obtained contracts related to the new deal Messi signed with Barcelona through the 2020-21 season, receiving the material from Football Leaks and analysing it with partners from the European Investigative Collaborations. The documents shined a spotlight on "questionable business practices" and demonstrated how "Barcelona bent over backwards to avoid losing its hero."

It's reportedly up to Ronaldo, who currently earns €38.2 million per year, to decide if he's part of Real Madrid's strategy for the future. There are apparently no offers for him so far, but several approaches from clubs were made in recent days while Los Blancos want to keep him.

Ronaldo boasts just four goals and two assists in 14 La Liga appearances this season, meaning he's far off the pace he established last campaign while scoring 25 league goals. Real Madrid, 19 points back of Barcelona, was beaten 1-0 by Villarreal CF on Saturday, marking the Yellow Submarine's first-ever win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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