Portuguese talisman Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly all set to sign for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr before the end of the year, as the former Manchester United star is expected to travel to Riyadh after spending his Christmas in Dubai.
While on the one hand, the world celebrates Lionel Messi's maiden World Cup glory after Argentina beat France at Qatar 2022, on the other, all eyes are on Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese talisman is expected to decide on his club's future in the coming days. Just days before the showpiece tournament, Ronaldo's contract with Manchester United was terminated following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan. Since then, the 37-year-old legendary striker has been a free agent, with reports indicating a move to the Saudi Arabian league is a high possibility.
Before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo, who is presently in Dubai, was connected with the Saudi Arabian club but declined to comment because he was focused on the competition. According to MARCA, the Portuguese talisman is now expected to sign a deal with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassar before the end of the year.
Al-Nassr wants to sign the five-time Ballon d'Or winner before the end of the year and has offered Ronaldo a whopping 175 million pounds-a-year deal to secure his services. The former Real Madrid legend is expected to remain with the Saudi Arabian club through at least 2025 thanks to the rich contract, which may be extended. According to the report, Ronaldo and his family, who is in Dubai to celebrate Christmas, are awaiting confirmation of the arrangement, which also involves advertising agreements.
The Portugal international turned down a move to Saudi Arabia last summer, but he now appears destined to make a move after receiving no firm interest from Europe's top teams. One of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabia is Al-Nassr, which has won the nation's top division nine times, the most recent of which was in 2019.
Al-Nassr may not have won the league in either 2020 or 2021, but they did succeed in winning the Saudi Super Cup. They have, however, found it difficult to stand out on a worldwide scale. They did, however, take part in the 1999–2000 Club World Cup. They competed against Real Madrid, one of Ronaldo's old teams, and lost 3-1. They went on to defeat Raja Casablanca 4-3, but they were eliminated from the competition after losing 2-0 to Corinthians of Brazil.
Rudi Garcia, a Frenchman who has previously managed Roma, Marseille, and Al-Nassr, is now in charge of the team. Additionally, they play in a 25,000-seat stadium. Ronaldo's arrival at Al-Nassr would be a game-changer for both the team and the nation, which aspires to become a major sporting power. The domestic football league in Saudi Arabia is something that the country's sports minister earlier said he would "love" to see Ronaldo play in.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Prince Abdulaziz said, "Anything is possible. I would love to see Ronaldo play in the Saudi league. It would benefit the league and the sports eco-system in Saudi, and it will inspire the youth for the future. He's a role model to a lot of kids and has a big fan base."
Following the termination of his contract with Premier League powerhouse Manchester United, rumours of Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassar surfaced. The iconic striker left the team after giving a controversial interview to Piers Morgan in which he attacked the Glazers, Erik ten Hag, and the club. Additionally, CR7's transfer follows the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when he was unable to realise his dream of winning the championship for Portugal.
If and when Ronaldo joins Al-Nassr, he will be aiming to let go of this criticism. The striker, though, had previously received criticism from supporters on social media for having ties to the Saudi Arabian club. "Cristiano Ronaldo "Top Clubs want me, I'm still going to stay at the highest levels" About to sign for €200 million a season in Saudi Arabia. Like what! It's like Messi going to America!! Ffs," noted one irate user on Twitter.
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