Real Madrid News
Real Madrid rejected Cristiano Ronaldo ‘several times’ before Al Nassr move
Cristiano Ronaldo will go down in football history as one of the greatest players to ever grace the field. Through his monstrous mentality and lethal nature in front of the goal, the Portuguese international scripted records for fun, winning a whopping five Ballon d’Or awards in the process.
Of all the stints he played in his career, Ronaldo’s period at Real Madrid will go down as the best. The number seven donned the white colours in his prime footballing years, scoring 450 goals and cementing his status as a club legend.
According to reports from The Athletic, Jorge Mendes and Ronaldo pushed hard for a return to Santiago Bernabeu in recent months. The star dreamed of playing for Real Madrid again and contacted the club several times about a move.
Though Manchester United were willing to cover a large part of his salary if a move materialised, the European Champions rejected his approaches without a second thought.
The player’s entourage also contacted Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the hope of keeping him in Europe. However, no club wanted to sign him given his age and waning form, thus paving the way to his record-breaking move to Al Nassr.
Ronaldo signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Saudi Arabia-based side in a deal estimated to be worth over €200 million. The former Real Madrid star will be close to 40 years of age by the time his deal in Asia ends.
In 2022/23, the 37-year-old played just 10 games for Manchester United and scored just one goal in the process. In late November 2022, he gave an interview with Piers Morgan where he vented out his frustrations at the Red Devils and the manager, thus souring relations with the club and engineering an exit.
There is no secret that Real Madrid might consider a move for a new striker in the coming summer. With Karim Benzema slowly nearing the end of his career, the club are looking for a viable alternative ahead of the new season.
Carlo Ancelotti has been left impressed by the performances of Rodrygo in the centre forward position. But the club could still use the services of a more recognised option in the number nine position.
The Spanish giants are reportedly assessing La Liga for a potential low-cost option. But they are also open to looking through in other leagues, in their bid to add more depth in the attacking department.
To that end, Fabrizio Romano claims Real Madrid are eyeing a swoop for Roberto Firmino. The Liverpool star has become the latest player to be shortlisted by Los Blancos, with his current contract at Liverpool expiring at the end of the season.
Formerly of TSG Hoffenheim, Firmino has a stellar track record of performing in Europe. He has scored 110 goals in 361 competitive matches during his time at Liverpool, winning the Premier League and the Champions League title.
A centre forward by trade, Roberto is known for his tactical flexibility and the ability to shift into wider areas to build up the player.
It makes him an appealing target for Real Madrid, who would prefer a versatile striker in their ranks that can not only provide cover for Benzema but also the likes of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
Real Madrid, though, are yet to hold any discussions with Roberto Firmino just yet. He has just been added to the list of targets and one would expect the Spanish giants to make a move once the season is over and the player becomes a free agent.
