Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo may be on his way out of Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr at the end of the season following reports of growing frustration at the club.
The 40-year-old forward, the highest-paid footballer in history on a deal reportedly worth £488,000 per day, is said to be unhappy with how Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is handling Al-Nassr’s finances compared to rival clubs.
According to reports, Ronaldo believes Al-Nassr have been short-changed in the transfer market despite PIF owning 75 per cent stakes in four Saudi Pro League clubs — Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
The situation worsened after Al-Hilal signed Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, earlier this week. Al-Hilal currently sit one point above Al-Nassr in the league table.
Ronaldo is reportedly unhappy that Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus has not received enough reinforcements, especially when compared with rival clubs, even though Benzema’s transfer was funded by private investors.
The veteran forward was notably absent as Al-Nassr defeated Al Riyadh 1-0 on Monday, a move widely interpreted as a silent protest.
Portuguese newspaper Record reports that Ronaldo is now considering leaving the club in the summer, with options including a return to Europe or a switch to the MLS.
The report also revealed that Ronaldo has a £43 million (€50m) release clause in his contract, with 18 months left on the two-year deal he signed last summer.
