Cristiano Ronaldo news: Juventus star's lawyers prepared to strike 'out-of-court' deal with rape accuser to end the case

What's the story?

Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers are reportedly prepared to strike an 'out-of-court' deal with his rape accuser's legal team in a bid to avoid going to trial and put an end to the allegations against the Juventus superstar.

In case you didn't know...

Last year, Kathryn Mayorga accused Ronaldo of raping her in his suite at Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he was on holiday in the city in June 2009.

Last week, reports emerged that the Portuguese forward was finally served with a federal lawsuit, days after Mayorga's lawyers decided to move the case from a state court.

The former model's lawsuit claims that the former Real Madrid star offered her a $375,000 non-disclosure agreement in return for silence after the alleged incident.

Ronaldo himself has denied the allegations in a series of tweets stating that the claims go against everything he believes in.

The heart of the matter

According to Mirror Football, Ronaldo's lawyers have reportedly told the court that they are open to enter mediation with Mayorga and requested for more time to fight the allegations as they need to go beyond the 24-page limit due to the complexity of the case.

The team either wants the case dismissed or for a judge to compel arbitration which would mean that it would be dealt without a trial. In the case of the latter, the proceedings would be private and will be decided by an expert mediator.

Mayorga's 31-page lawsuit includes eleven complaints which include intentional infliction of emotional distress, coercion, and fraud, abuse of a vulnerable person and battery.

Ronaldo's team has now reportedly requested the Nevada District Court for leave to file a 46-page report that would defend him from the allegations.

I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) October 3, 2018

What's next?

It appears the investigation is moving forward quicker than it did before and it remains to be seen if the two sides will agree to proceedings outside the court.