Cristiano Ronaldo to Stay at Real Madrid Following President's Public Defence Amid Tax Investigation

Breathe a sigh of relief, people. The Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga that was set to dominate the summer headlines may already be at an end.

Reports from the player's native Portugal reported just a few short days ago - yes, it's been days, not weeks or months - claimed that Ronaldo had made an "irreversible" decision to leave Real Madrid this summer.

His reasoning? Because he stands accused of defrauding the Spanish treasury after allegedly using a business structure to hide €14.7m in income, earned from his image rights between 2011 and 2014. Ronaldo was reported to be unhappy with his treatment in the Spanish press and Real Madrid appeared to be at fault too for a lack of public support.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich - or anyone with real money - were linked with a summer transfer for the 32-year-old, with a potential transfer fee quoted from anywhere between £131m to €1bn. But United were the romantic choice. A return to the club who've longed for him back for so long was on the cards and more real a prospect than it's ever been before.

For about 5 days.

Real president Florentino Perez came out in defence of his star man on Monday night, though, and the "irreversible" decision - according to Spanish daily AS - has now been reversed. The story comes from a journalist who is particularly close to Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes.

Perez said, while speaking with ​Spanish radio station Onda Cero, said: "The only thing I can say is Cristiano Ronaldo is a Real Madrid player. Obviously something has happened, something has affected him, his credibility. I'm sure he will tell us and we will see.

"Cristiano is a good guy as a professional and as a person. This is very strange and in the next few days I'll talk to him. I must defend him at all costs, both as a player and as a person. What I will say is that everyone must fulfil their tax obligations.

"The only thing I know is that Cristiano is very angry with the treatment he has received in the press."

These words appear to have done the trick. Player and president, according to the report at least, have not spoken in private, but Perez's defence of the player in the press seems to be exactly the statement Ronaldo wanted Perez to make.

The two will discuss the issues unsettling Ronaldo further after his commitment to the national team at the Confederations Cup this summer ends, but it does appear that Ronaldo is a lot happier in the Spanish capital than he was just a few days ago. 

As for his tax evasion trial, that's another matter completely.