Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are reportedly exploring the option of signing PSG defender Sergio Ramos, as they await the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo this week.
Ronaldo is close to finalising a money-spinning move to the Middle East after he had his Manchester United contract terminated last month, following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
With Ronaldo’s arrival imminent, the Saudi side are looking at a number of Europe’s talents – including Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante – and it seems the club have turned their attention to one of Ronaldo’s former team-mates; Sergio Ramos.
According to MARCA, as Al-Nassr await the arrival of Ronaldo, club chiefs are exploring the option of signing former Madrid defender Ramos.
The Spaniard’s current deal at the Parc des Princes is set to expire in the summer, which has put a number of clubs across the world on high alert.
The same outlet claim Al-Nassr’s club president and sporting director are planning for a trip to Madrid, where they will look to progress a potential deal for Ramos.
In any case, signing Cristiano Ronaldo remains the club’s priority and they expect to make his move to Saudi Arabia official on January 1st.
Al-Nassr are confident that Ronaldo will join them and scheduled a medical, plus booked accommodation for the forward and his advisors ahead of the move.
Ronaldo is set to earn $75m-a-year (£62m) if he takes Al-Nassr’s offer, while image rights and other endorsements could see this figure rise considerably to around £173m-a-year.
The Portugal international rejected a switch to Saudi last summer, but without any firm interest from Europe’s elite clubs, looks set to now make the move.
Al-Nassr are one of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabia, having being crowned winners of the country’s top flight nine times, with their most recent triumph coming in 2019.
A move to the Saudi club will confirm an end to Ronaldo playing at the elite level, at least out of international windows.
In both 2020 and 2021, Al-Nassr may not have won the league, but they did manage to win the Saudi Super Cup.
The club, however, have struggled to make a splash on the global scene, but they did compete in the Club World Cup in the 1999-2000 season.
That year they played against Real Madrid in their group, losing 3-1, with Nicolas Anelka and Raul among the scorers for the Spanish giants.
The Saudi giants also currently have a few big-name stars of the past in the form of former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina, Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo and Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar.
