Romano reveals Ronaldo final decision on transfer as ‘only way’ for PL return with Chelsea revealed | OneFootball

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed an update on Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

Ronaldo left the Premier League at the end of 2022 as his contract at Man Utd was cancelled by mutual consent following his dispute with former head coach Erik ten Hag and the Glazer family.

Following his exit from Man Utd, Ronaldo was linked with several European sides but he was swayed by money as he joined Al Nassr on a free transfer.

It was a major coup for the Saudi Pro League to land Ronaldo, but he has had issues with club chiefs over the past 12 months.

Last year, there were rumours that he was unhappy and could leave following Al Nassr’s failure to win the Saudi Pro League or the AFC Champions League, while he has clashed with the board over an alleged lack of backing in the transfer market in recent months.

Ronaldo recently went on strike and had a spell out of the team, but there appears to have been a settlement as he has returned to the Al Nassr starting XI of late.

Now, Romano has explained Ronaldo’s final decision on a transfer as he is “absolutely determined to make history at Al Nassr”.

“After everything happened around January, beginning of February, I always told you: no panic, not overreacting, not exaggerating,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“It’s not something to put in the media as it was in the media everywhere ‘Cristiano could leave Saudi, Cristiano could go to MLS, Cristiano could be here, could be there’.

“I told you the problem was just something in the management of the budget in January, not between Cristiano, not between the management, the coach and all the rest.

“It was with PIF, the group controlling the Saudi investments. That’s it. Cristiano is happy at Al-Nassr and now Cristiano confirms: ‘I belong to Saudi Arabia. I want to continue in Saudi Arabia. This is what Cristiano said over the weekend.

“Cristiano is showing commitment to the project. Cristiano is absolutely determined to make history at Al-Nassr. This team is doing very well and so now Cristiano’s decision is also public and clear.”

Chelsea have been among the clubs linked with Ronaldo in recent years, but former Premier League chief scout Mick Brown thinks there is “only” one “way” for this transfer to happen.

“I can’t see Ronaldo coming back to the Premier League,” Brown told Football Insider.

“The only way would be if he was going to be available on a free transfer and on reasonable wages, then it might be a possibility, but that isn’t going to be the case.

“It will take a big fee to get him away from Saudi Arabia, and then he’s going to be demanding big money wherever he goes because of who he is.

“Somebody like Chelsea for example might be able to afford it theoretically, but they’re not going to spend that kind of money on a 41-year-old.

“Even if he does end up leaving Saudi Arabia, I don’t think there’s any way he will come back to England.”