- An MLS club has reportedly tried to sign Cristiano Ronaldo after he left Manchester United
- Club officials believed they were in their final two teams before they settled on Al-Nassr.
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An American football club reportedly tried to sign Cristiano Ronaldo after he left Manchester United in 2022.
Ronaldo left United by mutual consent after a row with Erik ten Hag and an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticised the Dutchman.
The Portuguese star parted ways with £16million when United cut his contract just four days after his TV appearance.
However, that loss of revenue was dwarfed by late December when it signed a £175m-a-year deal with Saudi Arabian group Al-Nassr.
The athletic have reported on how MLS club Sporting Kansas City attempted to sign him, with a deeper insight into what they were willing to offer him.
MLS club Sporting Kansas City attempted to sign Ronaldo after he left Manchester United in 2022
Ronaldo left Manchester United by mutual consent after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan and joined Saudi club Al-Nassr
Ronaldo criticised Erik ten Hag and the Glazer family, saying they had “betrayed” him
Kansas contacted MLS officials to inform them that they were attempting to lure Ronaldo to the United States.
Peter Vermes, the club’s manager, said at the time that the deal “took on a lot of weight.”
Kansas City’s owners, who are ranked 14th out of 15 in the Western Conference, were potentially willing to give Ronaldo a stake in the club.
That would have come along with creative packages and a portion of profits from international team sales.
Multiple meetings were held between Ronaldo’s representatives and those of the club, which last won the MLS Cup in 2013.
Senior club officials reportedly believe they had been included in the final two teams in Ronaldo’s mindset before opting for Al-Nassr.
According to The Athletic, an internal MLS database of 50 players ranks Ronaldo behind only Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi as the player considered most valuable for clubs to sign.
Ronaldo had a fractured relationship with Ten Hag since the Dutchman’s arrival in 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) has signed for Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United on a free transfer
Portugal was eliminated from Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals against France and Ronaldo consoled Pepe
Ronaldo is one of many players who have decided to leave Europe behind and move to Saudi Arabia, a booming destination for footballers in the twilight of their careers due to the immense wealth it offers.
Last season he scored 44 goals in 45 games but has yet to win a domestic trophy in the Middle East, although he did win the Arab Club Champions Cup.
They endured a harrowing final Euro 2024 campaign, which saw Portugal eliminated in the quarter-finals by France on penalties.
