Diego Simeone has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo was never going to join Atletico Madrid despite the hopes of the player.
Ronaldo completed a stunning move to Saudi club Al-Nassr in January and is earning in the region of £173million per year. That is – by a distance – the highest wage in football, which includes image rights and commercial commitments.
Last week, Ronaldo missed out on winning the Saudi title with Al-Nassr, having signed for them midway through the season in December. The Portugal captain scored 14 goals in 16 games but his tally wasn't enough to deny Al-Ittihad their third crown, although Ronaldo hopes to stop them winning a fourth next term.
A report in El Nacional last month claimed that the Portuguese superstar is desperate to leave Riyadh after just four months. Furthermore, he and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are both keen to return to Madrid – the city in which they met.
Ronaldo’s first choice option was to return to Real Madrid – where he bagged a scarcely believable 450 goals in 438 first-team appearances – but this was rejected by club president Florentino Perez, who does not see the forward as benefiting the club’s sporting project.
However, it has been claimed that Perez has offered Ronaldo an ambassadorial role at the club when he hangs up his boots – something the player is yet to decide whether to do. Ronaldo was also offered to Atletico Madrid, but despite this tempting boss Simeone, the club decided against the switch due to the strong feeling amongst the club’s fanbase.
Have Your Say! Did Ronaldo make a mistake by moving to Saudi Arabia? Tell us what you think here.
Simeone has now addressed those reports on Spanish radio and is quoted by Marca as saying of how such a move for Ronaldo could never have happened: “Ronaldo could not play for Atletico Madrid in the same way that I could never manage Real Madrid.”
For his part, Ronaldo has clarified that he is happy in Saudi Arabia and will play in the Middle East nation next season. However, he will not be joined by Karim Benzema who is opting to stay at Real Madrid rather than join champions Al-Ittihad, despite Ronaldo insisting to his former teammate that the Saudi league was on the rise.
"I am happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here," the five-time Ballon d'Or winner told SPL. "And in my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world.
"I will be part of your world, your culture, I will be here, I hope I make the people enjoy through my games, my performance, and to win things, but again, thank you for welcoming me, and I will try to give my best during the time that I will be here."
