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.