Journalist claims Cristiano Ronaldo might join Al-Nassr's fierce rivals Al-Hilal in the future
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could swap the Riyadh-based club for their arch-rivals Al-Hilal in the future, according to MARCA editor-in-chief Jose Felix.
Cristiano Ronaldo was left without a club after terminating his contract with Manchester United by mutual consent in November. Despite being one of the biggest superstars in the world, he struggled to find takers in Europe.
Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr pounced on the opportunity by luring the forward to the Middle East. In a bid to convince him to make the move, they even made him the highest-paid footballer in the world, reportedly agreeing to pay £173 million a year.
The Portuguese icon has since scored five goals in four matches for Al-Aalami, who have also seen their brand value go up. The Riyadh-based club hope that having him on their books until at least 2025 will pay them dividends both on and off the pitch.
However, Felix has now handed Al-Nassr a scare by claiming that Ronaldo could join their fierce rivals Al-Hilal soon. He suggested that the player could be tempted by Al-Za'eem's legacy.
Felix said on Saudi Arabian television show SBC Maleab [via MSN]:
"I do not rule out the possibility that Cristiano Ronaldo will wear the Al Hilal shirt in the future, considering the historical legacy of this club."
#ملعب_SBC | لا يستبعد رئيس تحرير الماركا الإسبانية أن يرتدي كريستيانو رونالدو قميص #الهلال مستقبلًا؛ مرجعًا ذلك للإرث التاريخي الذي يحمله هذا النادي. #قناة_SBC
@jfelixdiaz https://t.co/cMCD2LoK0H
It is worth noting that Ronaldo is contracted to Al-Nassr until the summer of 2025, by when he will turn 40 years old. It thus remains to be seen if Al-Hilal can snap him up from their rivals in the near future.
Al-Hilal pursued Cristiano Ronaldo before he joined Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr finalized a deal for Cristiano Ronaldo in December with aid from some authorities in Saudi Arabia. However, it is worth noting that Al-Hilal were interested in acquiring his services before Al-Aalami.
Al Za'eem in fact made an attempt to lure the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to the Middle East last summer. The player, though, snubbed it despite looking to secure a move away from Manchester United.
A transfer ban then meant that Al-Hilal could not revive their interest in Ronaldo when he eventually became available. When Al-Nassr signed him, Ramon Diaz's side were prohibited from making signings after Mohamed Kanno breached his agreement with the Mrsool Park outfit.
It now remains to be seen if Al-Hilal will attempt to snatch Ronaldo from their local rivals. Meanwhile, they have been notably linked with an ambitious move for the 38-year-old's arch-nemesis Lionel Messi.