Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed an offer to play on into his 40s with Saudi Arabian giants Al Nassr ready to hand him a three year deal after the World Cup, according to CBS Sports sources.
Ronaldo is a free agent following the termination of his contract with Manchester United earlier this week, and he has long been of interest to Al Nassr, as well as other clubs in the Middle East. CBS Sports revealed in August that that interest would extend beyond the World Cup, with the 37-year-old having been keen to play at Europe’s highest level going into his fifth tournament. In Portugal’s opening game against Ghana Ronaldo set another record on the international stage, scoring in his fifth World Cup.
“If Cristiano agrees to go to Saudi Arabia, he would almost triple his previous salary with Manchester United.
“The Saudi giant already tried to sign Cristiano last summer, but the negotiations did not come to fruition.”
Al-Nassr’s current offer for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is significantly less than it was last summer when he was actively pushing for an exit from the Theatre of Dreams.
The initial offer amounted to €300m for two seasons. This would have also seen the Red Devils receive a transfer fee of €30m.
Al-Nassr’s proposal aligns with a report that indicated the Saudi Arabian government’s wish to lure both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the country, in an effort to raise its calibre on the global stage.
With several elite European clubs slamming the door shut on Ronaldo’s face, he may be tempted to accept Al-Nassr’s offer, if only for one last mega pay-day.
However reports suggested earlier this week that the club had ‘gone cold’ on signing the forward, but that the situation was fluid should Boehly change his mind.
Blues boss Graham Potter is also not believed to be interested in signing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, despite his team having scored just twice in their last five Premier League fixtures.
Ronaldo was named FIFA’s Player of the Match after Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana, which meant he had to attend the ensuing press conference.
He stayed in the room for 132 seconds and answered one question but, for the first time, publicly addressed his situation after being cut by United.
‘It was a week that finished this chapter. It is closed and now I want to start with the good foot. We started here, we won.
‘I want to help my team and all the rest of the squad.’
Ronaldo showed why he is still a force to be reckoned with during Portugal’s clash with Ghana on Thursday.
He became the first man in history to score at five different World Cups, opening the scoring from the penalty spot in a thrilling 3-2 win for Portugal.
The win puts Ronaldo’s side top of Group H after Uruguay drew with South Korea, but there may be some concern at how close they were run by Ghana.
Portugal are next in action against Uruguay on Monday. Ronaldo’s exit from Manchester United was mutually agreed upon after a controversial interview in which he said he did not respect the Manchester United management.
A statement from Cristiano Ronaldo said: “Following talks with Manchester United, we’ve mutually agreed to end our contract. I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. It feels like the right time to seek a new challenge. I wish Man Utd all the best”.
Manchester United, in turn, issued a statement saying: “The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford”.
They wished “him and his family well for the future” and added “everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch”.
Having now left Manchester United and looking for another club the Portugal star may be tempted to return to the negotiating table.
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