Where Next For Cristiano Ronaldo? Al Nassr Or Newcastle Both Viable Options

Cristiano Ronaldo is a free agent after his Manchester United contract was terminated by mutual consent on Tuesday.

Ronaldo had been trying to leave Old Trafford since the summer when he made it known that he wanted to move to a club competing in the UEFA Champions League.

But no suitable offer from a UCL club was made back then and that is likely to be the story again when the transfer window reopens in January.

While a move to a big Champions League club might not be on the cards, Ronaldo will not be short of offers from elsewhere.

Indeed, many offers will already have been made.

According to Marca, Ronaldo has already narrowed down his options to two clubs, both owned by Mohammed Bin Salman, heir to the throne of Saudi Arabia.

One of those clubs is Al Nassr, nine-time winners of the Saudi Professional League.

The other is Newcastle United, the team currently sat third in the English Premier League.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a free agent after leaving Manchester United

IMAGO/Action Plus/Graham Wilson

Both options would come with a lucrative salary but Al Nassr are likely to be able to pay much more, as they operate outside of UEFA's Financial Fair Play jurisdiction.

Saudi Arabia might be a more suitable level for Ronaldo too. Of course, he is still good enough to score goals in the EPL for Newcastle. But he would be able to dominate in Saudi Arabia, thus rebuilding his image as an all-powerful superstar.

But if he is still determined to get back into Europe's Champions League then Newcastle could be the project for him.

Newcastle have not competed in the UCL since 2003 but a top-four finish in this season's EPL would see them return to Europe's main event in 2023/24.