Cristiano Ronaldo to sign with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for $200 million a season

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo will sign with Saudi club Al-Nassr in a 2 1/2 year deal worth a reported $200 million per season. 

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to earn $200 million a season starting next month with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, making him the highest-paid pro athlete on the planet.

The 37-year-old former Manchester United star, who recently had a falling out with the Premier League side, is set to sign with the Saudi club, Spanish sports daily Marca reported on Monday.

The new contract, which also includes financial incentives tied to advertising, is expected to start on Jan. 1.

https://twitter.com/marca/status/1599742269380329472

Al-Nassr, which plays in the Saudi Pro League, are among one of the few teams around the world who could afford Ronaldo’s salary demands.

Cristiano Ronaldo signs with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, is among one of the best players of the past two decades. He is currently playing at the World Cup in Qatar with Portugal. They are scheduled to take on Switzerland on Tuesday in the round of 16.

A host of European clubs had shown no interest in Ronaldo over the summer when the star striker said he was looking to leave Man United.

Ronaldo had said he wanted to play for a club who competed in the Champions League, but his agreement with Al-Nassr shows that the striker has dropped that from his list of demands now that he’s a free agent.

Al-Nassr, formed in 1955 and one of the most successful teams in Saudi history with nine domestic titles, features an array of international stars. The team is coached by Frenchman Rudi Garcia. The lineup includes Spanish central defender Alvaro Gonzalez and Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.

In the meantime, Ronaldo is looking to lead Portugal to a World Cup. He helped Portugal win the Europan Championship in 2016, following that feat with the UEFA Nations League in 2019.