Al-Nassr showed their ambition by signing Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Saudi Arabian giants hinted his arrival would be followed by more with links to high-profile stars persisting
Carlo Ancelotti has hinted his Real Madrid players wouldn’t even consider the chance to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
The Real Madrid boss was speaking after Al-Nassr were linked with audacious approaches for two of Ronaldo’s ex-teammates, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric. The Saudi giants are still basking in the limelight afforded to them by Ronaldo’s stunning move at the end of last year.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti (Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
Ronaldo signed a lucrative contract in the Middle East after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan effectively rubber stamped his Manchester United exit. The 37-year-old claimed he had made the move to Saudi with football as the chief motivator, having achieved all he could in Europe.
That came weeks after the Portuguese icon claimed he wasn’t tempted by the potential riches on offer and would instead retire on top. “It comes back to my gut feeling about you, that if it was just about money you’d be in Saudi Arabia earning a king’s ransom. But that’s not what motivates you. You want to keep at the top.,” Morgan said to Ronaldo.
The forward then responded: “Exactly. Because I still believe that I can score many, many goals and help the team.”
Modric, 37, and Benzema, 35, are the latest European superstars to be linked with a move to Al-Nassr, but Ancelotti has made it clear he feels that Real Madrid legends should retire at the Bernabeu. And the Italian went as far to suggest he didn’t even think they would broach the subject with him.
Luka Modric and Karim Benzema have both been linked with moves to Saudi Arabia
“I don’t think Benzema or Modric are going to come to my office, because I don’t think they need my advice.,” Ancelotti said. “The legends of Madrid have to stay in Madrid, and retire here. That’s what I think and we’re talking about two legends.”
Ronaldo is certainly in the bracket when it comes to Los Blancos greats, having won every major honour – including five Champions Leagues – and scoring a record 450 goals in 438 games for the club.
After signing a contract that takes him beyond his 40th birthday, it looked a near certainty that – rather than in Madrid – Ronaldo would end his career in Riyadh. But following his first two matches for Al-Nassr, his new manager Rudi Garcia has hinted that probably won’t be the case.
Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to score for Al-Nassr following his sensational move ( Image: Noor Abdelfatah/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition, as he helps to disperse defenders,” Garcia said. “He is one of the best players in the world. He will not finish his career at Al Nassr though, he will return to Europe.”
Ronaldo is set to make his third Al-Nassr appearance later this week, having failed to find the net in his opening pair. He was also singled out by Garcia following their Saudi Super Cup defeat to Al-Ittihad, with his missed chance cited as a key factor behind the loss.
Garcia added: “Cristiano Ronaldo missed a chance that would have changed the course of the game in the first half, but I congratulate Al Ittihad. They were much better than us until half-time. Then we reacted but we couldn’t turn it around. We lost the Super Cup but we are still top of the league.”
Cristiano Ronaldo slips to joint ninth on list of highest transfer fees after Enzo Fernandez’s…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s £100million move to Juventus is on the edge of being eliminated from the top 10 transfer records of all time after Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez for £107million.
Fernandez completed his British record move to Stamford Bridge from Benfica on deadline day following weeks of negotiations over whether the Blues would pay his release clause.
The World Cup winner’s sensational move is now the eighth most expensive in transfer history, slotting in above Ronaldo’s 2018 transfer to Turin.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s £100million move to Juventus is on the edge of being eliminated out the top 10 transfers of all time
Chelsea broke the British transfer record by signing World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez for £107m
When signing, Ronaldo declared himself the new Special One of football as he vowed to go on and on at the very highest level after sealing his move five years ago.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Real Madrid after a nine-year spell with the Spanish giants, in which he scored 451 goals and won four Champions League titles.
He is, of course, now playing his football at Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United by mutual consent after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old, who joined on a free transfer, is set to earn £175m-a-year in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo’s £100m move to Juventus seems just a fraction of Neymar’s £198m move to PSG from Barcelona in 2017 – which still remains the world record transfer.
The Brazilian’s PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe takes second-place after he sealed a £166m move to the Parc des Princes from fellow Ligue 1 side Monaco.
In an era of staggering fees across Europe, Eden Hazard, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele fill the rest of the top five spots.
Former Chelsea winger Hazard completed a sensational £150m move to Real Madrid, where he became the club’s most expensive player ever.
Meanwhile Coutinho left Liverpool to join Catalan giants Barcelona in a deal worth £145m back in 2018.
Dembele was also a heavyweight signing at the Nou Camp, putting pen to paper in a deal worth £136m after leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2017.
PSG team-mates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are the top two most expensive players of all time, signing for the Parisian giants for £198m and £166m respectively 
Paul Pogba, who left Manchester United in 2012, returned to Old Trafford in deal worth £100m four years later
Felix, who is currently on loan at Chelsea, signed for the Madrid side from Benfica for £114m, while Griezmann completed a £108m to join Barcelona, before returning to the Wanda Metropolitano last summer.
That leaves Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Jack Grealish in joint ninth – all making £100m signings for their respective clubs.
Grealish’s whopping transfer from Aston Villa was the previous British record before Fernandez sealed his January move to Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Pogba who left United for Juventus for just £800,000 in compensation in 2012, returned to Old Trafford on a £100m deal four years later.
The France international is of course now back at Juventus – having returned to Serie A in the summer. 
Former Aston Villa star Jack Grealish previously broke the British transfer record when he signed for Man City for £100m
Source: mirror.co.uk; dailymail.co.uk
