‘Betrayed’ Cristiano Ronaldo will ‘sit out more matches’ in Al Nassr transfer ‘threat’
Manchester United and Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo feels ‘betrayed’ and is reportedly ready to quit the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo has refused to train this week amid frustration over recent transfers in Saudi Arabia and missed Al Nassr’s league match against Al Riyadh on Monday after making himself unavailable for selection.
Cristiano Ronaldo feels ‘betrayed’ at Al Nassr
The Portugal captain, who turned 41 on Thursday, is unlikely to feature in Friday’s match against Al Ittihad, who are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) alongside Al Nassr, Al Ahly, and Al Hilal.
Karim Benzema left Al Ittihad for Al Hilal this week, which has angered Ronaldo. The Portuguese star believes Al Nassr needs strengthening after marking three years in the Middle East without winning a single title.
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Ronaldo dissatisfaction with Saudi transfers grows
According to CBS Sports, Ronaldo’s dissatisfaction with transfers in Saudi Arabia has only ‘grown’ since being omitted from Al Nassr’s squad on Monday.
The report says a source close to Al Nassr believes Ronaldo feels ‘betrayed’ and has ‘threatened’ to leave the club.
To get Ronaldo back on side, it will require intervention from senior figures within PIF, as the Portuguese legend will need assurances after Saudi Pro League leaders strengthened with the signing of Ballon d’Or winner Benzema, who scored a hat-trick and made an assist on his debut on Thursday.
Ronaldo’s contract expires this year, and it is claimed that he could return to his first club, Sporting.
There is a €50million (£43.5m) release clause, and if Ronaldo doesn’t join Sporting, he could be offered the chance to play in Turkey, likely for one of the big three: Besiktas, Fenerbahce, or Galatasaray.
The report adds:
Ronaldo had been expected to return to the Al-Nassr side for Friday’s game against Al-Ittihad but that is now a matter of greater speculation with some believing he may look to make his point even more visibly to PIF by sitting out more matches. That could afford Al-Hilal a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Pro League.
Though Ronaldo is unhappy to see his rivals sign Benzema, it should be noted that that deal was not funded by the PIF or the Pro League and instead by billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.
Al Nassr may not have made a big splash in the winter transfer window, but they showed plenty of ambition last summer by signing Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix.
Where next for Ronaldo in a World Cup year?
Turkish clubs and Sporting are seen as the most likely destinations for Ronaldo, though a switch to Major League Soccer in North America shouldn’t be ruled out.
Ronaldo will want to resolve his future sooner rather than later with the World Cup taking place this summer.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in acrimonious circumstances close to the 2022 World Cup, and his lack of playing time showed as Portugal crashed out at the quarter-final stage against Morocco.
If he lacks sharpness in the summer, it could seriously damage Portugal’s chances, as Ronaldo starting up front appears to be non-negotiable, no matter the impact on the team.
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