Manchester United star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has revealed he rejected a €350 million (£305 million) offer to play in Saudi Arabia this summer, saying he had many offers to leave United.
Ronaldo, however, said he does not know which club he will be representing after the World Cup in Qatar.
Ronaldo disclosed this in an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV.
Speaking on the two-year contract worth €350 million (£305 million) from a Saudi Arabian club, the former Real Madrid star said: “It’s true, yes, it’s true. In that moment [I turned it down], yes.
“They [the press] say many, many garbage things. Jorge Mendes has more than 100 players and they go to Chelsea and Arsenal, but they always mention Cristiano Ronaldo, ‘they offer Cristiano’.
“Let’s be honest, who is the most expensive salary player in the Premier League ever in history – it’s me, even at 37 years old.
“They [the media] even offered me to Sporting [Lisbon] or Napoli. I will be honest with you, I didn’t have many, many clubs but I have many, many offers of the other clubs.
“But what the press keep saying, the garbage, is that nobody wants me, which is completely wrong.
“And I was happy here [at United] to be honest, I was motivated to do a great season here [at United]. But they continue to repeat that nobody wants Cristiano.
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“How they don’t want a player who last year scored 32 goals last year, [including] with the national team?”
Asked if he will still be a Man United player on January 1, Ronaldo said: “It’s difficult to tell right now, because my mood is right now on the World Cup. It’s probably my last World Cup, of course, my fifth World Cup.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen after the World Cup, but as I told you before, and I will say again, the fans will always be in my heart. And I hope they will be by my side, even if I [come] back, or if I’m not back, or if I stay or whatever.
“Nobody’s perfect. Episodes in the life we all have is part of being human beings, is part of me being a human being and [being a] father as well. I always will commit mistakes.
“But I don’t know, it’s hard to tell right now what’s going to happen after the World Cup because my focus is only for the World Cup, for the Portugal national team.
“My motivation is not the same [at United] as it was a few months ago. I hope to change. I am not saying that I need a fresh challenge, but let’s see.
“I cannot answer right [on his Man United future] now because my focus is for the World Cup.
“But I don’t know, maybe it’s good for Manchester and it’s probably good for me as well to have a new chapter. Probably, but I don’t know.
“If I will be back I will be the same Cristiano but I hope people be on my side and let me shine like I have done at all the clubs in the years.
“When I arrived at Manchester United, I always wanted to be available to help the team do the good things, to put in the right spots, to compete with the best teams.
“But it’s hard when they cut your legs and they don’t like you to shine and they don’t listen to your advice.
“I think I have words to advise to the club because the trophies are one individual and collective. I think I can help a lot, but when the infrastructure is not good…”
Ronaldo expects to ‘disappoint’ people with interview claims
“They criticise me when I don’t speak, of course, they’re going to criticise me when I do speak – even more.
“But it’s something that I can deal with. I know I’m going to be disappointing a few people. Maybe I’m going to make up a few people. But it is what it is.
“Life is completely difficult, we have obstacles in our lives. And I will keep running to fight against the people who don’t believe me. I want people to know they’re wrong.
“It’s hard, it’s hard for me to say that I will not be back to Manchester United. But regardless, as you say, it’s… let’s see what’s going to happen.”
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