Cristiano Ronaldo says he was offered record-shattering £3m A WEEK by Saudi club but snubbed transfer to stay at Man Utd
CRISTIANO RONALDO claims he was offered a record-shattering £3million-a-week to play in Saudi Arabia – but turned it down.
The 37-year-old has spilled the beans to Piers Morgan after an extraordinary fallout with the Manchester United hierarchy.
Over the course of a revealing interview, the star has lashed out at current and former Man United bosses and started spats with former teammates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.
Ronaldo also revealed that he turned down a big money to secure a move away from Old Trafford.
The star claimed rumours that he was offered 350m euros, or £305m, to play in Saudi Arabia over just two years were “true” – but he turned it down.
It means Ronaldo could have been earning a staggering £3m a week, which would have easily been a record for a footballer’s wages.
READ MORE ON MAN UNITED
When Morgan pressed him on the offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, the Portuguese star confirmed “yes it’s true” and he turned it down “in that moment.”
When asked how difficult it was turning down so much cash, he said: “It’s hard. It’s hard. But in the same way, I thought that I was very happy here; that I [am] still capable to score goals and make people happy.
“I still believe that I can score many many goals and help the team because I still believe that I’m still good and capable to help national team – even Manchester United.
“But if you don’t feel around you that the energy’s on your side, it’s difficult. Of course, the criticism is gonna exists all the time. Ah he’s 37, he’s not the same.
“But I want to see if some guy of my age maintain the level that I show. You’re not gonna teach me that. Nobody is gonna teach me that.”
The United star also claimed that when his agent Jorge Mendes went to speak to clubs about the other players he represented, they “always mention Cristiano Ronaldo, they offer Cristiano.”
Ronaldo has been linked in the past to Al-hilal but it is not known which Saudi club submitted the big money offer.
It would have made him the highest-paid football player in the world, with the current holder of that title believed to be Kylian Mbappe on £1.2m-a-week.