Cristiano Ronaldo’s future is one of the hottest subjects the transfer market has to offer this summer. CNN Portugal dropped the bomb on Thursday evening, revealing Ronaldo received a last-minute proposal from Saudi Arabia. An unnamed club would be willing to pay him a net salary of $250 million for two years.
Manchester United would be paid a $30 million transfer fee, while the agency representing Ronaldo, Gestifute, would get an additional $20 million.
A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo is under contract with Manchester United until the end of next season. He’s made it clear he wants to find a new club as soon as possible. His agent, Jorge Mendes, offered his services to Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and FC Barcelona, all of whom declined.
Ronaldo didn’t travel with the United squad that’s now on tour in Australia. Ronaldo and the club cited personal reasons to explain his absence. United’s new head coach Erik ten Hag says he’s planning the following season with Ronaldo on his squad, also adding in a press conference that the 37-year-old is “not available for transfer.”
Odds are Ronaldo will stay in place
Betting on Ronaldo going to Saudi Arabia is currently unavailable in the major bookies’ offers. Odds suggest Man. United is the favorite to be Ronaldo’s club, even after the transfer window shuts at the end of August. Ronaldo staying at Old Trafford is now at -150.
A move to Chelsea sits at +275 while a transfer to Bayern is at +400. Joining Paris Saint-Germain returns bettors +1200, while a transfer to Sporting Lisbon stands at +1400. AS Roma is behind at +1800.
Real Madrid, where Ronaldo wrote history during his nine years at the club, sits at +2200. Juventus and FC Barcelona sit next at +2500. At +3300, Inter is given marginal chances of signing the legendary forward, while a shock move to Tottenham is regarded as totally unlikely (+3300). Man City is second from bottom in the odds charts at +5000, with only Arsenal below at +8000.