The Portuguese star should be available for his new club, Al-Nassr, against Ettifaq. He is still under suspension.
SourceAFP
© – / Al Nassr Football Club / AFP
Published on
L’Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start in the Saudi Arabian football league with Al-Nassr on January 22, a source close to the Saudi club told Agence France Presse on Saturday. Ronaldo, 37, will be able to join his new club after they terminated the contract of Cameroonian Vincent Aboubakar to comply with the maximum number of eight foreign players set by the Saudi federation.
He will therefore be available to play his first meeting with his new club on January 22 at home against Ettifaq. He must by then serve a two-match suspension imposed in November while still playing with Manchester United in the English league. “Al Nassr terminated Vincent Aboubakar’s contract by mutual agreement and he received all the financial compensation to which he was entitled,” said a source close to the Saudi club. Ronaldo can thus appear on the match sheet scheduled for next Friday against Al Ta’ee for which he will therefore be suspended.
“He will then have respected a suspension and will comply with the other against Al Shabab” on January 14, the same source said. This, however, did not confirm the departure of Aboubakar, 30, for Manchester United, stating that he was now free and could negotiate with any club.
READ ALSOMbappé, Premier League and Ballon d’Or: our football predictions for 2023
200 million per year
Ronaldo, five times Ballon d’Or, has signed a contract until 2025 with the Saudi club for an estimated 200 million euros over the duration of his contract. Welcomed by 25,000 spectators at Riyadh’s Mrsool Park stadium on Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo said his arrival at the Saudi club did not mark the end of his career, but a new stage in his hunt for records.
His arrival is part of the desire of the authorities of the kingdom to enhance the prestige of the Saudi championship while neighboring Qatar has just organized the 2022 Football World Cup. Saudi Arabia could in particular submit a joint candidacy with Greece and Egypt to host the World Cup in 2030.