Ronaldo will return to Europe admits Al Nassr manager Rudi Garcia
Ronaldo’s United exit happened when he was with Portugal on World Cup duty, meaning he never got a chance to say farewell to team-mates.
So now he has been in touch with his closest friends in the squad to try and arrange a visit to his homeland — or even visit him in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo left United in November after criticizing the club in an interview with Piers Morgan.
He signed a £170 million-a-year deal with Saudi side Al Nassr — the richest football deal ever.
Ronaldo, 37, is currently having a luxury home built on the outskirts of Lisbon and has texted some of his pals at United about getting together over the summer.
He has also asked if they would be interested in watching him play for his new club in the Middle East, if schedules allow it.
A United insider said: “There are still a few lads here who have nothing but respect for Ronny and were sad how it all ended, because they never got to say a proper goodbye.
“He recently left the player WhatsApp groups but promised to keep in touch with a few and has invited them to his new place in Lisbon and to Saudi to watch him play.
“Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Raphael Varane are all mates.
“His place in Lisbon sounds incredible — and he can certainly now afford it!”
It is understood Ronaldo has also shipped his fleet of luxury motors back to Portugal.
The United source added: “A couple of the lads at the training ground hoped he’d raffle off one of his supercars, like Sergio Aguero did when he left City!”
Aguero gave City’s first-team staff a raffle ticket for his £40,000 Range Rover when he left the Etihad in 2021.
It was won by Ally Marland, one of the club’s kitmen.
Ronaldo will return to Europe admits Al Nassr manager Rudi Garcia
The 38-year-old has his Manchester United contract terminated in November after he gave a controversial interview to Piers Morgan, in which he criticised the club’s facilties and said he had a lack of respect for Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo signed a record-breaking deal with Saudi club Al Nassr that sees the forward earn a reported £175m-a-year.
The two-year deal would take Ronaldo past his 40th birthday if he remains in Saudi Arabia and the Portugal captain certainly had a lack of offers elsewhere before he joined the club.
But former Roma boss Garcia, who now manages Ronaldo in Riyadh, says Ronaldo will return to Europe before he retires.
‘Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition, as he helps to disperse defenders,’ said Garcia.
‘He is one of the best players in the world. He will not finish his career at Al Nassr, he will return to Europe.
Ronaldo is yet to score in two appearances for the club and they were knocked out of the cup in the semi-finals by rivals Al Ittihad last week.
Garcia says Ronaldo’s new team-mates shouldn’t be fixated on passing him the ball and that it’s important not to be overawed by him.
‘Ronaldo missed a chance on goal that would have turned the game around in the first half but I congratulate Al Ittihad,’ said Garcia.
‘They were much better than us until the break. So we reacted but we could no longer turn around. We lost the Super Cup but we are still first in the championship.
‘It is very important that the players play normally and don’t always try to give Cristiano the ball.
‘I told them they had to make the right decisions on the field. Obviously, when Cristiano or Talisca are alone and ask for the ball, we have to give them the ball.
‘These two players are capable of making a difference. I think sometimes we had good crossing positions, but there were not enough people in the box, sometimes not Ronaldo or Talisca.
‘We have to work on it, have one of them in the area and maybe the other will play outside the area.’
‘It is very important that the players play normally and don’t always try to give Cristiano the ball.
‘I told them they had to make the right decisions on the field. Obviously, when Cristiano or Talisca are alone and ask for the ball, we have to give them the ball.
‘These two players are capable of making a difference. I think sometimes we had good crossing positions, but there were not enough people in the box, sometimes not Ronaldo or Talisca.
‘We have to work on it, have one of them in the area and maybe the other will play outside the area.’
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