Saudi Arabia: Ronaldo has ‘Newcastle clause’ in new contract

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly has a clause in his new contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr Football Club which would allow him to move on loan to the English Premier League’s Newcastle United should the latter qualify for the Champions League at the end of this season. The Champions League is a tournament which Ronaldo has won five times.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, “There is a clause in Ronaldo’s new contract at Al Nassr which means that he may be able to play in the Champions League again before his career comes to an end.”

The 37-year-old Portuguese international signed for the Riyadh club last week after leaving Manchester United by mutual agreement following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan ahead of the Qatar World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo @ his new home 🛬 #AlNassr #CristianoRonaldo pic.twitter.com/gRrpkghNYw

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 2, 2023

Sources at Newcastle dismissed the suggestion that the club has an option to sign Ronaldo if they qualify for the Champions League, while a source at Al-Nassr told ESPN that the story is “all fake”.

Newcastle United FC is mostly owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has an 80 per cent stake in the club following a successful takeover in 2021. In November, it was reported that the PIF had injected $80 million into the club to fund player transfers.

Ronaldo’s contract with Al-Nassr will see him playing until June 2025 with a reported salary of around $200 million per year, including commercial agreements. This is said to be the highest salary in football history.

The superstar has already arrived in Riyadh ahead of his official unveiling before thousands of fans at his new club. A viral photo of Ronaldo holding up Al-Nassr’s jersey has led to the team gaining over 6.1 million followers on Instagram in just three days.

READ: Details of Ronaldo’s contract with Saudi club revealed