The president of Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal has revealed that he held talks with Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo over a potential move to the Saudi Pro League earlier this summer.
Ronaldo was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford after the Red Devils finished sixth in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League last season.
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Sporting Lisbon are said to have turned down the chance to sign the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who eventually did not leave United.
Ronaldo has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with many clubs in the country reportedly interested in signing the Portuguese legend.
Will Ronaldo Move To Saudi Pro League?
Eighteen-time top-flight champions Al-Hilal were one of those clubs and president Fahad ben Nafel has revealed that talks with Ronaldo’s representatives were held over the summer.
“Yes, we negotiated with Ronaldo,” Ben Nafel told the Thamanya YouTube channel. “The problem was not in the money or the principle, Al-Hilal is able to bring in the stars of the world, but it was in the decision of the Sports Arbitration Center that prevented us from registering the players.
“We did not stop negotiating with the players despite the decision to ban, but we were delaying entering the final stage of the negotiations until the ban was lifted.”
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Earlier this summer, Saudi Arabian FA president Yasser Al-Miseha stated that he would “love” to see Ronaldo finish his playing career in the Saudi Pro League.
“We would love to see Cristiano Ronaldo play in the Saudi League,” Al-Miseha told The Athletic.
“It would bring a huge positive feedback and it would be big news for everyone. I’m sure everyone knows the achievements and records of Cristiano Ronaldo, but also as a player who is a great role model.
“I think, ‘Why not?’. I’m sure it would be a very expensive deal, of course, but we can see our clubs getting higher revenues in the past couple of years.
“We have already see some big players who used to play in the Premier League come to the Saudi League. I like Cristiano Ronaldo as a player and I would like to see him play in Saudi Arabia.”
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