Frankfurt snub indicates Ronaldo had ZERO Champions League takers

Stuart Telford

• 21 Dec 2022 14:49 GMT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the cusp of a big money move to Saudi Arabia, but he would rather have extended his Champions League record after his release from Manchester United.

Ronaldo is a free agent after he gave an explosive interview to Piers Morgan on the eve of the World Cup in which he slammed United's Glazer family ownership and, pointedly, manager Erik ten Hag, whom he said he had "no respect" for.

Ten Hag had relegated Ronaldo to a bit-part role after the Portuguese missed pre-season training in pursuit of a move last summer with the Red Devils only qualifying for the Europa League last term.

READ: Revealed: Ronaldo's INSANE NEW offer to move to Saudi Arabia

The 37-year-old was reportedly keen to extend upon his record of 140 goals in the Champions League, but few if any clubs at European football's top table were willing to take a gamble on him, be it for sporting of financial reasons.

And the scarcity of Ronaldo's options has been laid pair by the top brass at Eintracht Frankfurt, the Bundesliga outfit who are playing in the competition this season for the first time since their run to the final of the European Cup in 1960.

'Ronaldo offered to everybody'

"He was even offered to us," Frankfurt CEO Axel Hellmann told DAZN. "I have the feeling he was offered to every Champions League club," added chairman Philip Holzer.

READ: Ronaldo's sister brands Qatar 2022 the 'worst World Cup ever'

Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Sporting Lisbon - the latter Ronaldo's first club - were among the sides to publicly rule out a move for Ronaldo in 2022.

A European scramble for his services has also failed to materialise this winter and he now looks set to seal a big-money move to Al-Nassr. The Saudi Arabian side are reportedly offering a two-year contract worth €200 million per year before bonuses.

Ronaldo will also become an ambassador for Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2030 World Cup.