The Manchester United icon could be engaged in a potential Saudi Arabian takeover
Cristiano Ronaldo has already spoken about what he would do if he owned Manchester United, amid new reports of a Saudi acquisition.
Turki Alsheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is most known for bringing high-profile boxing events to Saudi Arabia as part of the Riyadh season.
Alsheikh now looks to be attempting to increase his influence, with suggestions that he may invest in football.
Recent reports linked him to Bristol City, which he dismissed. Now, Alsheikh has moved to social media to expose potentially explosive revelations about Manchester United.
He also posted on X: “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor – I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”
Although it is simply rumour at this point, supporters may expect Ronaldo to be involved in a Saudi Arabian bid due to his close relationships to both United and Saudi Arabia.
And now that he has officially become football’s first billionaire, the Al Nassr forward has the financial means to reconnect with his former team.
Ronaldo spent two seasons at United, scoring 145 goals in that time, but he left in 2022 after a contentious interview with Piers Morgan.
He spoke out against the club hierarchy again in 2024, shortly after Ruben Amorim was named head coach.
At the Globe Soccer Awards in the United Arab Emirates, he stated: “I said this one and a half years ago, and I will continue to repeat it: the problem is not the coaches. It’s like an aquarium. If you have a sick fish inside, take him out, repair the problem, and then put him back in an aquarium, he will become sick again.
“The difficulty for Manchester United is the same. The fault isn’t always with the coach. It’s far more than that.
“If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust what I think is bad there.”
As Ronaldo prepares to retire, club ownership is definitely on his mind.
However, he has previously stated that he wishes to continue until the age of 40.
Ronaldo admitted at the same awards ceremony in Dubai that he does not want to be a coach when he retires, preferring ownership.
He explained: “I’m not a coach. I’ll never be a coach, or the club’s president?
“No. Maybe the owner of the club.”
xz
