After a nightmare exit from the Theatre of Dreams, Cristiano Ronaldo could well be headed to Saudi Arabia, reports suggest.
As per the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano, the Riyadh-based club has tabled an offer for the ageing Portuguese forward that will see the 37-year-old earn €200 million per season in a two-and-a-half-year contract until 2025.
Hours after Romano's tweet, Spanish outlet Marca reported that Ronaldo was also mulling accepting the deal: "A deal between the two parties is close to being finalized, as there are no legal obstacles this time and Ronaldo has already given the green light," the publication stated.
While there has been no official communication from Ronaldo or his agent yet, a move to Al Nassr does make sense.
Following a troubled second spell at United, Ronaldo exited the Manchester club recently in the most unceremonious manner, following an explosive interview wherein he accused the club of mismanagement.
Ronaldo's interview, possibly sparked by his dissatisfaction over the lack of playing time, has not only left him out of favour at United, but is also likely to affect his chances of moving to a top European side.
At 37, Ronaldo is certainly not getting younger, and is finding it difficult to get consistent playing time in high press teams.
Owing to the stiff competition in Europe's top five leagues, and given Ronaldo's age, his current lack of scoring form, and of course, his astronomical wages, it is unlikely that any European team will be willing to spend a fortune on an ageing and misfiring player.
Given this situation, a move to Al Nassr indeed makes sense, with the Riyadh-based club reportedly willing to pay Ronaldo massive wages to secure his services.
Further, with competition in the Saudi league relatively much less intense than that in Europe, Ronaldo is likely to be guaranteed a spot on the team, something he craves, and he is also likely to perform, given the relative lack of difficulty.
That being said, Ronaldo's fortunes may change in the FIFA World Cup: an electric performance in Portugal's remaining games could endear the forward to top European clubs, at least for the short-run.
Whether that is likely to happen in a different question altogether.
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