Sources at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will see out his 2½-year contract with the club. They added that recent rumors suggesting that Ronaldo could go out on loan to Newcastle United if they qualify for the UEFA Champions League are fake.
Ronaldo is set to be unveiled as an Al-Nassr player at the club’s Mrsool Park stadium on Tuesday evening. His $75 million-a-year deal will make him the world’s highest-paid football player.
A report in Spain claimed that Al-Nassr had inserted a clause in Ronaldo’s contract that would enable him to play for Newcastle should they qualify for the Champions League, adding that this is the main reason why the player agreed to his Al-Nassr contract. Newcastle’s majority owner is the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). Additionally, the report inaccurately claimed that the PIF owns Al-Nassr as well.
The 37-year-old player departed from Manchester United in November after reaching a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract. While he initially attempted to find an offer from a club that competes in the Champions League, Ronaldo agreed to join the Saudi Arabian club when no such offers presented themselves.
While unconfirmed, Ronaldo is largely expected to make his Al-Nassr debut during an away game against local Riyadh rivals Al Shabab on January 14.
