Cristiano Ronaldo is set to extend his stay at Al-Nassr and play “influencer football” with a new deal worth a whopping €400 million.
The Manchester United and Real Madrid legend seemed to have secured his future in Saudi Arabia back in January, but it is only now that he is in the process of formalizing the deal.
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According to Marca, the negotiations started months ago, but they became complicated because this contract “deviated from traditional sporting discussions”, and that “everything moved slowly”.
In the meantime, there have been numerous rumours about Ronaldo’s future. He has been linked with a return to Europe, and there was also a tempting scenario where he could be teammates with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami for the Club World Cup – something that was quickly dismissed.
Highest paid footballer in the world
Despite turning 40 in February, Ronaldo is set to sign a two-year contract that earns him €200 million annually – making him the world’s highest-paid footballer.
Unparalleled commercial success
Although the experienced striker is already earning enormously, his move to Saudi Arabia has not hurt his earnings off the pitch. On the contrary, it is said that his sponsorship deals and business interests have “multiplied at all levels”. There are also rumours that he could buy a stake in Spanish club Valencia.
In addition, Ronaldo will have a smaller stake in Al-Nassr, where he is fully committed for the next few years. He has worked hard to help the club build a stronger structure, which among other things led to the surprising signing of Jhon Durán from Aston Villa this winter.
Target: 1000 career targets
One of the key deals between Ronaldo and Al-Nassr is for the club to build a strong team around him. The signing of the Colombian international is an example of this.
Ronaldo has set himself a unique goal: to reach 1000 career goals. With 23 goals in the Saudi Arabian league this season, and a total of 933 goals in his career, he is now within reach. -And if he doesn’t get it, he can sign up for corporate football later.
With two more years at Al-Nassr thanks to this new contract, there is a good chance that he could achieve his last big football goal.
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