‘I’m not allowed to say’: Al Nassr sporting director refuses to deny Criano Ronaldo transfer rumour
Amd reports of Criano Ronaldo closing in on a move to Saudi Arabia, the sporting director of Al Nassr, Marcelo Salazar, said that the Saudi club for now “will wait” and that “at the right time the future will be revealed”.
Speaking to Flashcore, Salazar said, “I’m not allowed to say yes or no. Let’s wait and see how things unfold until the end of the year. As you can see, this is a negotiation of enormous magnitude, not only for the club, but for the country and for world football, and which has to be conducted higher authorities.
“What I can say is that Criano Ronaldo is one of the best in the hory of football. He has always been an example to me as an athlete, for the will he shows to win. And then, as a Portuguese citizen, I always cheered for him. But when the time is right the future will be revealed,” he added.
Salazar also spoke about the backlash faced due to the Saudi Arabian League’s standard, and said, “Criticising something you ignore is very easy.
“I’ve been here for five years and all the players I’ve spoken to were very positively surprised when they arrived here, especially because of the level of the league. Living in Riyadh and with the families has been a pleasant surprise for the players, with the schools and everything we have here.”
37-year-old Ronaldo is now a free agent and his availability at club level has been drawing attention in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
However, Ronaldo had denied the reports of him joining Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr after the FIFA World Cup.
“No, that’s not true — not true”, he had said after Portugal’s 6-1 win over Switzerland in their round of 16 clash.
The reports linking Ronaldo with Al Nassr come after the star had his contract terminated Manchester United following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticized manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners.