FC Porto president Pinto da Costa has suggested that no team in Portugal can afford the luxury of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently a free agent.
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently without a club after Manchester United terminated his contract by mutual consent. The Portuguese superstar sealed a sensational return to the Old Trafford outfit in the summer of 2021. Ronaldo has signed a two-year deal with Man Utd with an option for a further year.
But the 37-year-old’s stay at Man Utd was cut short after he sat down for an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticized Erik ten Hag and the Glazer family, among many others.
Manchester United then decided to terminate Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with the club by mutual agreement. Ronaldo is now looking for a new club.
Read more: Bruno Fernandes sends a message to Fernando Santos as Portugal part ways with coach
‘In Portugal, nobody has the capacity to give you what you earn’: FC Porto president Pinto da Costa on Cristiano Ronaldo
FC Porto president Pinto da Costa has suggested that no team in Portugal can afford to give Cristiano Ronaldo what he earns and still wants to win.
“It’s up to him [Cristiano Ronaldo] and interested clubs. But in Portugal nobody has the capacity to give him what he earns and he still wants to win. And it has value for that,” Pinto da Costa told reporters, quoted by Record.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a free transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. Reports have said that Al-Nassr has formally submitted a mammoth contract offer to Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo was part of the Portugal national soccer team that participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s hopes of winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup ended when Morocco knocked Portugal out of the competence.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not live up to the high expectations placed on him in Qatar 2022 and only scored one goal for Portugal in five matches. He also started Portugal’s round of 16 and quarter-final matches on the bench.
While Portugal cruised to a 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16, Morocco defeated the EURO 2016 winners 1-0 in the quarter-finals. Ronaldo came off the bench in the second half, but the Portuguese superstar was unable to help the team beat Morocco.
Meanwhile, Portugal parted ways with Fernando Santos, who had been their coach since 2014.
Read More: Portugal and Fernando Santos part ways after 2022 FIFA World Cup exit
