Cristiano Ronaldo says he is focused on turning things around with Al Nassr and appears to be ruling out the prospect of a January shock transfer.
Ronaldo, who turns 40 in February, moved to Saudi Arabia in 2023 after a fairytale return to Manchester United didn’t work out, penning a lucrative two-and-a-half year deal.
That contract, reportedly worth £177 million, is due to expire this summer, leading to speculation that the top goalscorer in the history of international men’s football could be eyeing a return to Europe.
In fact, struggling Premier League champions Manchester City – United’s bitter rivals – were touted as a surprise landing spot for Ronaldo, as were Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain – although that link has since been played down.
But it seems that Ronaldo, who continues to be the light of the struggling Al-Nassr side, intends to honor the contract he signed in January 2023 and remain focused on helping the PIF-backed side to improve the results.
Ronaldo told Saudi Pro League media channels: “I am happy and my family is happy. We have started a new life in this beautiful country. Life is good, football is good. Individually and collectively, we are still here. We’re still improving.”
“It’s hard to compete with teams like Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, but we are still there, still pushing and fighting. Football is like that; there are good moments and bad moments. But for me the most important thing is to be professional, push hard, respect the club, respect his contract and believe that things will change – so that Al Nassr will try to win more titles .
He added: “The [AFC] I want to win the Champions League for the club. But the most important thing is to keep pushing and be professional.”
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, having enjoyed a stellar 21-year career in which he won five Ballons d’Or, the European Championship with Portugal, multiple Champions League titles with Real Madrid and Manchester United has numerous other individual and team awards.