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Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly asked Al-Nassr to sign Casemiro from Manchester United, which could be a crucial factor determining his future.
The Portuguese icon is in the final six months of his £175m-a-year contract with the Saudi Pro League and is considering a move elsewhere.
He and Casemiro won 12 trophies together at Real Madrid, including four Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles, while they also reunited at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag.
The pair are good friends and the move could be feasible given that United are open to selling the Brazilian and are keen to shed his £350,000-a-week wages.
However, Mail Sport reported last week that fellow Saudi sides Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ittihad are also interested in the 32-year-old midfielder.
Marca reports that moving to the MLS is a potential option for Ronaldo, who is now 39. Conquering America has been an attractive option for some of the world’s greatest players, including Pele and Lionel Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly asked Al-Nassr to sign Casemiro, his former Real Madrid and Manchester United teammate
CR7 is in the final six months of his £175m-a-year contract with the Saudi Pro League side
Manchester United are open to sacking Casemiro to reduce his £350,000-a-week wages
Ronaldo’s former teammate at Old Trafford, Wes Brown, has urged the striker to make the jump to the United States.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has to go to America, especially because Lionel Messi is there too,” he told The Sports Daily.
‘I’ve seen Ronaldo play a few times and it was a good standard. He scores goals and looks so fit for his age, he’s still sprinting at 40. He wants to play as long as he can and he is a player who can do that. choose where he wants to play next.
‘He won’t be hanging up his boots any time soon and continuing to break records. He’s been to a few places now and I’d like to see him add America to the list.
‘He has scored more goals than Messi lately and it would be great to see them play against each other again.’
Saudi leaders are said to be confident they can keep their crown jewel no matter what, but signing Casemiro would give a boost to their hopes of keeping Ronaldo.
Like other sports stars lured by the Saudi riyals, Ronaldo is embedded in the country’s football ambitions.
He is an ambassador for the Saudi 2023 World Cup and recently said he is ‘convinced’ it will be the ‘best World Cup ever’.
Ronaldo could reportedly move to MLS, but says he is ‘happy’ living a ‘beautiful life’ in Saudi Arabia
He also seems happy in the Middle East, saying: ‘I am happy and my family is happy. We have started a new life in this beautiful country.
‘Life is good, football is good. In terms of individually and collectively, we are still here; we are still improving.”
However, for a success-driven individual, Ronaldo may be dissatisfied with Al-Nassr’s progress on the pitch.
The 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup is the only trophy he has won with them since joining in December 2022.
This season they sit fourth in the Saudi Pro League, 11 points behind Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad pacers after thirteen games.