According to reports, Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has received a mega-money offer to play in Saudi Arabia. According to Portuguese news outlet CNN Portugal, the unnamed club based in the middle east are willing to offer the Old Trafford club a transfer fee of €30 million, which is more than what they paid Juventus to bring Ronaldo back to the Premier League last summer. The Portuguese forward is believed to be keen on leaving Old Trafford in search of a new challenge this summer after growing frustrated over United’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s motivation for leaving United is rooted in his desire to compete for silverware and play in the Champions League.
The likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli have all been credited with a desire to land Ronaldo over the last few weeks, but are yet to submit offers for his signature as things stand.
Now, according to CNN Portugal, Ronaldo has been presented with an enormous offer from Saudi Arabia that would make him the highest-paid player in history – but he would have to give up European football.
It is said that the offer includes a transfer fee of around £30m, which exceeds the figure that United paid to snap him up from Juventus last summer. Ronaldo would then be poised to receive a total salary of £210m, spread over a two-year contract, with another £20m having been tabled in agent fees. The offer, likely funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, would see Ronaldo earn an absolutely eye-watering €250million (£211m) over two seasons.
However, despite Ronaldo’s wish to seek a move away, United are reluctant to sell. New boss Erik ten Hag said during a press conference in Bangkok that the Portuguese remains in his plans for the upcoming season.
The Dutchman said: “We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that’s it, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
“I have read but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale, he is in our plans, and we want success together. I spoke with him before this issue came up, I had a conversation with him and I had a good talk.”
“That is between Cristiano and me, what I can confirm is we had a really good conversation together. What I said before, once again, I had a really good talk together.”
