Angel Di Maria revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo asked management to keep him at Real Madrid this season.
Madrid was rumored to be shopping Di Maria in the aftermath of the Isco signing and the constant Gareth Bale transfer talks. However, according to ESPN, Di Maria confessed that Ronaldo had intervened to stop him from leaving.
"I found out from elsewhere, not directly from him, that he had done that for me," the Argentinean player said. "I am very happy that a player like that -- a reference at Madrid -- supports me, asks for me not to leave, as people were saying that it might happen. That is very important."
The move would indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo remains fully committed, a notion echoed by his coach Carlo Ancelotti and Madrid president Florentino Perez.
"We are all convinced that he is going to finish his sporting life at Real Madrid," said Perez, according to ESPN. "At the end of the summer we will try and sort out this subject. I believe this will happen, for sure, before the end of the month, or at the start of next month. We do not have such a great hurry, when there are good intentions. We will resolve it satisfactorily. At least that is my desire."
"The player wants to renew his contract and the club want him to renew it too, so I don't think it's going to be a problem,'' Ancelotti added, according to Madrid-based newspaper AS. "I think Cristiano and the club are relaxed about the issue. I don't know when it will happen, but I am certain that Cristiano is going to renew his contract with Madrid."