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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Nizaar Kinsella

Cristiano Ronaldo holding out for Champions League club as superstar free agent ponders huge Al-Nassr offer

Cristiano Ronaldo is sitting on a contract offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr that would make him the world's highest-paid footballer.

Ronaldo is a free agent after leaving Manchester United and has reportedly been offered a two-and-a-half year deal worth a staggering £173million per season.

The deal would see the 37-year-old Portugal forward surpass Paris Saint-Germain trio Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe as the best-paid player in the world.

Ronaldo is currently at the World Cup and preparing to face Switzerland in the last 16 on Tuesday as he ponders his next move.

While Al-Nassr await his answer, Ronaldo waits to see whether he can attract offers from European clubs amid his desire to find a Champions League club.

Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Sporting Lisbon have been linked with moves for Ronaldo in the past but nothing has materialised.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, faces a backlash in Portugal after reacting angrily to being substituted during their 2-1 defeat to South Korea on Friday.

Portugal manager Fernando Santos admitted he “really didn’t like” his captain’s reaction but insisted that the matter has been resolved, though would not confirm whether Ronaldo would start against Switzerland.

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