Rumors of Inter Miami’s interest in signing Cristiano Ronaldo have grown in Saudi Arabia, but now that possibility seems slim. The potential team-up of Ronaldo and Messi may not happen, as Al Nassr is reportedly ready to offer the Portuguese striker a new contract. Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr expires in the summer of 2025, and many expect that he will join another team once his contract is up. Rumors of him joining the MLS or even back to Europe have been circulating around, but due to the constant great performances on the pitch, the striker may continue more years playing in the Saudi Pro League.
It is yet unknown what the length of a new contract would be since Ronaldo is almost 40 but continues to showcase his skills on the pitch. The Portuguese striker is the most crucial player in the squad as he is the top goalscorer and the top assistant of Al Nassr this season in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo has 32 goals and ten assists in 27 league matches this season.
Ronaldo’s contract includes huge earnings that the Portuguese have never seen before. CR7‘s current contract with Al Nassr reportedly makes him $4.1 million a week and an annual base salary of $213.2 million. These numbers are unachievable for other clubs in the world, including Inter Miami, who pay Lionel Messi around $12 million a year as his base salary. What convinced the Argentine to join the MLS was the city and the other partnership deals on top of the salary to make more earnings. Ronaldo would do something similar if he were to join the MLS, but his impact on Saudi Arabian football is unlike that of other athletes.
What’s next for Al Nassr for the rest of the season?
The 2023/2024 season is soon coming to an end, and Al Nassr has five games left where the team could win a trophy. There are four games left, including a match against Al Hilal. The last game of the season for them is another game against Al Hilal in the King’s Cup final. Ronaldo and Al Nassr will look to beat them in a final again since they did at the beginning of the season in the Arab Club Champions Cup final.
