According to the Madrid newspaper El Mundo, Ronaldo instructed his former agent Jorge Mendes to place him at Chelsea or Bayern Munich. Cristiano Ronaldo made his league debut for Al-Nassr on Sunday, but would have liked to have played in the top of Europe himself.
“Either you transfer me to Bayern or Chelsea, or we split up,” Ronaldo is said to have told Mendes, who did not believe such a transfer was realistic. “You’re crazy,” the agent responded, according to El Mundo. It was therefore not possible to get Ronaldo at one of those clubs.
Speaking at Al-Nassr, the striker said he had “many opportunities” to join other clubs, including European ones. However, he considers his work in Europe to be ‘finished’. “I’ve played for the best clubs in the world and I’ve won everything. I am happy and proud of Al-Nassr.’
El Mundo ‘s coverage echoes revelations made by The Athletic earlier this month. According to the usually reliable sports website, Ronaldo personally called ‘at least one European club’ about a transfer. The Portuguese newspaper Público wrote that CR7 is no longer represented by Mendes; his transfer to Al-Nassr was arranged by his good friend Ricardo Regufe.
Ronaldo’s predecessor joins Besiktas
In other news, Vincent Aboubakar has found a new club. He will fill the gap at Besiktas that Wout Weghorst left with his departure to Manchester United. Aboubakar signs a contract for two and a half years in Istanbul.
Aboubakar fell victim to the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. The Saudi regulations state that clubs can only have a maximum of eight foreign players under contract. With the arrival of Ronaldo, there were nine at Al-Nassr, so Aboubakar’s contract was dissolved.
Besiktas was able to use the services of Weghorst last six months, who was hired from Burnley, but he was taken back by that club and loaned to Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United. Besiktas has now found a replacement for the Dutch striker with Aboubakar.
According to L’Équipe, Aboubakar is deteriorating financially. In Saudi Arabia he earned four million euros net per year, while he will now earn three million net. At Al-Nassr, the thirty-year-old Cameroonian scored four goals and an assist in eleven games.
