Cristiano Ronaldo could complete shock Premier League return as Al Nassr boss names forward’s transfer wish
Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo may end up coming back to the Premier League in the future after his Al Nassr coach spoke about his transfer plans.
Ronaldo sensationally re-joined Manchester United in August 2021 when they paid Juventus £12.8million to take him back to Old Trafford. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner enjoyed a successful first season back at Man Utd, notching 24 goals in 38 matches.
However, Ronaldo’s future at Man Utd came under threat in summer 2022 when Erik ten Hag became the new manager. He was not sure about the team relying so heavily on a 37-year-old and wanted to help other players improve.
As such, Ronaldo lost his starting spot, with Ten Hag instead opting to rely on attackers such as Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Antony.
Ronaldo, as would be expected, became hugely frustrated with spending so much time on the bench and conducted a bombshell interview to vent about his problems. He complained about Ten Hag, some of his fellow Man Utd players and the club’s hierarchy.
It was clear at this point that he could not continue being a Man Utd player and the two parties opted to terminate his contract in November.
Despite wanting to join a Champions League club when departing Man Utd, the legendary goalscorer ended up going to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
He has made two appearances for them so far, though he is yet to find the back of the net.
Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr runs until June 2025. Given his age, this could mean he ends up retiring in the Middle East.
Cristiano Ronaldo backed to complete Europe return
In a surprising twist though, Al Nassr boss Rudi Garcia has now stated that Ronaldo wants to come back to Europe.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition, as he helps to disperse defenders,” Garcia told reporters at a press conference (via talkSPORT).
“He is one of the best players in the world. He will not finish his career at Al Nassr, he will return to Europe.”
When returning to Europe from Al Nassr, Ronaldo could well end up joining a Premier League side. After all, he knows the division well and has lived in England twice before.
Plus, he has held talks with both Chelsea and Manchester City about joining their respective squads in recent years.
What is clear though is that Ronaldo will never play for Man Utd again, as long as Ten Hag is in charge.
Ten Hag was far from impressed by Ronaldo’s controversial interview and did all he could to get the player out of the club as soon as possible.
It would be a fairytale end to Ronaldo’s career if he went to Paris Saint-Germain and linked up with Lionel Messi. They are long-term rivals from their days at Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as their challenges for the Ballon d’Or award.
It would be great to see two of the best players of all time play in the same side, even if they are past their best.
