Cristiano Ronaldo to sign 7-year contract with Al Nassr - first as a player, then as ambassador? Details here

Weeks after Manchester United terminated Cristiano Ronaldo's contract, the Portuguese legend is reported on the brink of signing a massive 175 million pounds-a-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. According to the latest reports in Spain, the 37-year-old striker is expected to sign a contract for seven years, which will see the talisman play for two-and-a-half years before assuming the role of an ambassador, with his payment increasing over time.

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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been looking for a new place to call home since the Red Devils fired him as a result of his shocking interview with Piers Morgan prior to the Qatar World Cup 2022. Ronaldo's duty as an ambassador will reportedly include supporting Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece.

Al-Nassr is also preparing to cut three players to free up enough room financially to sign the Portuguese icon. According to MARCA, the club plans to release Argentine Pitty Martinez and the Uzbek Jaloliddin Masharipov in the winter transfer window.

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Although negotiations have been going on for a while, progress was achieved just last week, with reports stating that a deal between Ronaldo and Al Nassr could be signed before the end of this year. Prior to the 2022 World Cup, the Portuguese talisman was connected to the Saudi Arabian club, but he remained focused on the event and declined to comment. The former Real Madrid star is reportedly waiting in Dubai with his family for the contract, which includes advertising agreements, to be finalised.

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. Ronaldo's professional career would officially come to an end if he joined the Saudi club, at least during the off-season.

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As a result of his diminished performance in the World Cup, where Portugal was eliminated by Morocco in the quarterfinals, Ronaldo's future with the national team is also in doubt. He was unable to have a significant influence in Qatar because Fernando Santos, who has since been fired, decided to start him from the bench during the knockout games.

Given Ronaldo's profile, Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia will still view his signing as a significant victory for the team and nation, even if there seems to be a deterioration in his on-field skills. Rudi Garcia, a Frenchman who has previously managed Roma, Marseille, and Lyon, is the club's current manager. Additionally, they perform in a 25,000-seat stadium.

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