Ronaldo to play for Al-Nassr from January 1
Portugal star striker Cristiano Ronaldo’s Sh25.9 billion deal with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr’ has been finalised, Spanish media reported yesterday.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, Ronaldo (pictured) will be making the move to Saudi Arabia at the end of the year. He’ll be earning a pretty penny, too, with a reported salary of Sh 25.9 billion (€200m) per season deal having been agreed. Al-Nassr, who sits second in the Saudi Pro League, were interested in securing his services straight after his second United spell ended and looks set to add the Portuguese icon to their ranks.
The reports said the former Manchester United player will sign the deal on January 1.
The mind-boggling annual pay is the highest salary for a player in sports history.
The Daily Mail while quoting the Spanish newspaper Marca said on Monday Ronaldo will sign an initial deal of £86 million (Sh13b) but he will receive other incentives including advertisement and sponsorship deals.
Ronaldo fell out with Manchester United after he accused the club’s chiefs of unfair treatment during a TV interview with Piers Morgan.
He later parted ways with the club in what the management said was on mutual agreement.
Al-Nassr is a top-flight football club in Saudi Arabia and has won the country’s league title nine times.
Ronaldo is currently in Qatar where he is representing his country in the World Cup.
Portugal have qualified for the round of 16 as Group H leaders. Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal are next on Friday, rounding off Group A against the Netherlands on 29 November,
Qatar will need to get their act together - and quickly - to avoid the ignominy of being just the second host country after South Africa in 2010 to fail to make it out of the group stage.
Off the pitch, the build-up to their home World Cup was derided, on it, the national team don’t want to suffer the same ordeal.
Ansu Fati must go to Qatar
He is out of form and not fit, and yet still when he comes on for Barcelona he manages to make more happen in his half-hour than those who have played the previous hour.
He has the magic that no one else can offer Spain coach Luis Enrique.
