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Following his omission from Portugal’s victory against Switzerland in the World Cup Round of 16, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally spoken out on rumors that he is linked to a transfer to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo has chosen to pass on a lucrative offer worth £173 million a year from Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia because he is waiting for a team that will allow him to play Champions League football once more.
Ronaldo is now a free agent after agreeing with Manchester United to sever the final six months of his lucrative contract a week ago, just after he had criticized manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s leadership in a harsh, unofficial interview with Piers Morgan.
While his attention is presently on the World Cup, where Portugal has recently secured a position in the tournament quarterfinals, the 37-year-old is free to join another team outside of the transfer window.
Although Ronaldo is now occupied in Qatar, news of a huge offer from the Middle East has persisted, fueling conjecture about his future.
The seasoned striker, though, sought to refute those assertions with his post-game remarks as Portugal thrashed Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16.
When asked about the rumors linking him to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo responded, “No, it is not true.”
Now, a new report from the Portuguese publication SIC Noticias has revealed that the former Juventus superstar still holds a desire to play in the Champions League and is holding out in the hope of receiving an offer from one of Europe’s top clubs in the coming weeks.
Ronaldo suffered a new setback on Tuesday night when Fernando Santos, the manager of Portugal, benched him for his country’s crucial World Cup match against Switzerland.
Goncalo Ramos, who took Ronaldo’s position, scored an incredible debut hat-trick to completely destroy Murat Yakin’s team.
In the sweeping victory, Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro, and Rafael Leao all scored, but once again it was Ronaldo who grabbed the spotlight.
Although Ronaldo joyfully celebrated the bulk of Portugal’s goals, he left the field alone as his teammates celebrated a historic triumph.
There were rumors that Ronaldo had been benched because of his irate response to being replaced in Portugal’s previous game against South Korea.
Santos, though, vehemently disagreed and argued that Ronaldo was still a “very vital player” for the national team.
“I’m very tight with Cristiano Ronaldo. His development in the national squad began when I arrived in 2014, although I’ve known him since he was 19 and played for Sporting.
Ronaldo and I never equate the human and personal side with the relationship between a manager and a player. He is a really vital player to have on the team, and I will always think so.”
