Mexican side Monterrey are ‘close to convincing’ Man Utd and Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Al-Nassr and sign for them, according to reports.
Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, won numerous trophies with Man Utd, Real Madrid and Juventus before choosing to leave Europe in 2022.
The Portugal legend has scored 799 goals in 1,061 club career appearances and will go down as one of the best players to have ever lived.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in controversial circumstances at the end of 2022 during his second spell at the Premier League club with Erik ten Hag allowing him to leave and join Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
The Al-Nassr star recently declared himself the “most complete player to have existed” in an interview with friend Edu Aguirre.
Ronaldo said: “I’m talking about numbers. I think I’m the most complete player to have existed. In my opinion, I think it’s me. I do everything well in football: with my head, free kicks, left foot. I’m fast, I’m strong.
“One thing is taste — if you like Messi, Pelé, Maradona, I understand that and I respect that — but saying Ronaldo isn’t complete … I’m the most complete. I haven’t seen anybody better than me, and I say it from the heart.”
There have been rumours that Brazilian side Botafogo could be looking to bring Ronaldo to South America before the Club World Cup after he made a U-turn on agreeing to remain at Al-Nassr.
When asked about the club’s reported interest, Botafogo’s coach Renato Paiva told a press conference: “Christmas is only in December … But if he came, you can’t say no to a star like that.
“I don’t know anything. I’m just answering the question. But, as I said, coaches always want the best. Ronaldo, even at his age, is still a goal-scoring machine. In a team that creates chance after chance, he would be good.”
And now Mexican outlet W Deportes has claimed that former Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos – who is now a defender at Liga MX side Monterrey – is ‘close to convincing Cristiano Ronaldo to play for Rayados’.
The report insists that ‘the biggest bombshell in the history of Liga MX is coming’ with Ronaldo wanting to play in the Club World Cup, which starts in mid-June.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also revealed this week that Ronaldo could play in the Club World Cup in an interview with IShowSpeed.
He said: “Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup. There are discussions.”
Pushed on whether Ronaldo would play at the Club World Cup, Infantino added: “Yeah, Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup, yeah.
“There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.”