Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on a sensational £175million-a-year contract following his tumultuous exit from Manchester United in November.
Ronaldo, 37, had been a free agent after leaving United in the wake of his damning and controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
In a move that will effectively signal the end of his top level playing career but will ensure he is extremely well remunerated as his retirement approached, Ronaldo put pen to paper on a contract for the Al-Nassr club on Friday afternoon.
The deal, understood to run until the end of the 2024-25 season, ends a brief free agency period for the 37-year-old, whose Manchester United contract was terminated last month.
Sources with knowledge of the negotiations say that Ronaldo has already completed the parts of his medical necessary to sign his contract while a second set of tests are expected to take place next week. In announcing the deal, the club simply tweeted that “the world’s greatest athlete officially signed for [Al Nassr].”
A subsequent statement added: “History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome Cristiano to your new home.”