Pepe confirms Real Madrid exit

Real Madrid defender Pepe has confirmed he will be leaving the Spanish champions this summer and has admitted his disappointment over the manner of his exit.

The 34-year-old insists that he did not say goodbye to manager Zinedine Zidane or his Los Blancos team-mates because the club knew he was departing before he did.

Pepe is looking forward to a new chapter in his career after a decorated spell in Madrid that saw him make 334 appearances for Real since joining from Porto in 2007.

Pepe told Cope: “I don’t want to blame anyone. What Zidane has done with Real Madrid is spectacular, but there are things I don’t understand.

“I didn’t say goodbye to Zidane because Zidane and Real Madrid knew I was going before I did.” With Pepe’s contract set to expire this summer, he said: “It is clear that I will not continue at Real Madrid. One stage is over and, from now on, another one will start.”

Pepe became a peripheral figure at Madrid and was not in the matchday squad on Saturday as they completed the defence of their Champions League crown by defeating Juventus 4-1 in the final in Cardiff.

The club also earned its first La Liga title in five years this season, but the Portuguese centre-back appeared in just 13 games. Madrid have claimed three Spanish titles and three Champions League successes during Pepe’s time with the club.

He has been linked with a move to PSG in the French press and added on Spanish radio that there are also “offers from England”. Pepe was part of Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning squad last summer and they are 26.00 to win next summer’s World Cup in Russia.