Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to leave Al-Nassr for Newcastle United if the Geordies qualify for the Champions League, according to reports.
The Portugal international left Manchester United at the end of November by mutual agreement after he gave a controversial interview to Piers Morgan, in which he criticised the club, Erik ten Hag, senior executives, former players and more.
Ronaldo attempted to engineer a move away from Old Trafford in the summer transfer window with reports claiming he wanted to leave for a club playing Champions League football, hinting in the interview with Morgan that he was still looking to play at the highest level.
He was without a club for over a month after leaving Man Utd but he eventually agreed to join Al-Nassr at the end of December.
A European champion with Portugal in 2016, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored more than 700 club goals in a career that has seen him lift the Champions League four times with Real Madrid and once, in his first spell from 2003 to 2009, with United, who he rejoined from Juventus in 2021.
Ronaldo has come under fire for moving to Saudi Arabia for money but there seemed to be a lack of interest from elite clubs around Europe.
But now Spanish newspaper Marca claim that ‘there is a clause in Cristiano Ronaldo’s new contract at Al Nassr which means that he may be able to play in the Champions League again before his career comes to an end.’
Marca adds: ‘Determined not to be left out of Europe’s primary competition, though, there is reportedly a clause in his contract that means if Newcastle United qualify for the Champions League this season, he can go on loan there as they are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.’
Lionel Messi is 12 goals away from overtaking Ronaldo’s all-time Champions League goalscoring record of 140 goals, which the Argentina interntional could realistically break with Paris Saint-Germain over the next couple of seasons.
Former Man Utd team-mate Gary Neville has revealed his “sadness” at Ronaldo not being able to find a club at “one of the big leagues in Europe”.
Neville said: “Look, we’re going to see a lot less of him, obviously.
“It tells us a couple of things, it shows how serious Saudi Arabia are about football. They’ve invested £350m on one player and are going for the World Cup in 2030.
“I thought he would want to stay in one of the big leagues in Europe, for the rest of the season at least.
“It…
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