Cristiano Ronaldo set to become 20% owner of club

Cristiano Ronaldo could be preparing for another extraordinary chapter in his football career, with a potential ownership deal emerging amid continued frustration surrounding Manchester United’s hierarchy.

The Portuguese superstar has never been afraid to criticise the way United are run, particularly during his controversial second spell at Old Trafford.

In his explosive 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo accused the Glazer family of failing to prioritise the club’s sporting success.

He also criticised United’s outdated facilities, claiming little had changed since his original departure in 2009.

Although Sir Jim Ratcliffe subsequently acquired a minority stake and INEOS took control of football operations, supporters remain deeply unhappy with the club’s direction.

Michael Carrick’s side have won just two of their opening ten competitive matches this season, despite considerable investment in the squad.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, remains one of United’s greatest ever players.

He won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and his first Ballon d’Or under Sir Alex Ferguson, before joining Real Madrid in 2009.

His remarkable career has since included five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions League triumphs and countless international records with Portugal.

However, Ronaldo’s ambitions now extend beyond scoring goals, with the 41-year-old increasingly establishing himself as a football investor.

As Centre Devils previously reported, he was recently linked with an ambitious consortium seeking to purchase a football club.

Cristiano Ronaldo closing in on major ownership opportunity

According to a new Semafor report, Ronaldo is expected to acquire a 20 per cent stake in Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.

Investment firm RedBird Capital, which owns AC Milan, has reportedly held at least two meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund over purchasing a 70 per cent stake.

The proposed investment would cost approximately one billion Saudi riyals (£200 million), with Ronaldo expected to become a significant shareholder.

Meanwhile, PIF is reportedly arranging sponsorship agreements to address Al Nassr’s outstanding debt of approximately £160 million ahead of a potential sale.

Ronaldo already owns 25 per cent of Spanish club UD Almeria, demonstrating his growing interest in football ownership.

However, negotiations remain at an early stage, with no agreement finalised and the proposed ownership structure still subject to change.