Cristiano Ronaldo receives interesting offer to return to ex-club amid controversy over deportation from Saudi Arabia - Reports
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly received an offer to rejoin Sporting CP following a recent controversy that led to people calling for his deportation.
The Portugal icon made an obscene gesture towards Al-Hilal fans after being taunted by them throughout the league game on Tuesday (April 18). They booed and jeered him at the King Fahd International Stadium as Al-Nassr slumped to a 2-0 defeat.
Fans were also heard chanting Lionel Messi's name to provoke the five-time Ballon d'Or. While exiting the pitch, Ronaldo was allegedly seen grabbing his genitals as a mark of disrespect for the home fans.
Since then, people have called for him to be deported, while a prominent lawyer has even vowed to submit a petition to the authorities. The lawyer in question, Nouf bin Ahmed, was quoted as saying, via Fichajes.com:
"Even if the crowd provoked Ronaldo, he didn’t know how to react. Cristiano’s behavior is a crime. An indecent public act, which is one of the crimes that allows for arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner. We will present a petition to the Public Ministry regarding the issue."
Cristiano Ronaldo, as per El Nacional, is unhappy at Al-Nassr and would like a change of scenery. Sporting CP seem to be aware of that and have submitted an offer for him to return to the club whose training facility is named after him.
Sporting was where Ronaldo made his mark in professional football. He joined their youth academy in 1997 and made 31 appearances for them across competitions before leaving for Manchester United in August 2003.
Cristiano Ronaldo poor once again as Al-Nassr slip in title race
Cristiano Ronaldo was in need of a stellar performance against Al-Hilal after a disappointing display in his team's goalless draw against Al-Feiha on April 9.
The Faris Najd captain, though, failed to get any of his four attempted shots on target against Al-Hilal and created no goalscoring chances. He played the full 90 minutes but managed just 15 passes, showcasing how he was marked out of the game.
The former Real Madrid superstar also received a yellow card. He has scored in just two of his last six league games. It remains to be seen what the future holds for him in Riyadh.
The Al-Nassr captain's contract as a player doesn't expire until the summer of 2025. His team have 53 points from 24 league games - three less than leaders Al-Ittihad, who have a game in hand.