Cristiano Ronaldo’s controversial £175m-a-year switch to Al-Nassr: Rio Ferdinand slams criticism

Cristiano Ronaldo’s controversial £175m-a-year switch to Al-Nassr: Rio Ferdinand slams criticism

Rio Ferdinand, a former player for Manchester United, supported Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr by drawing comparisons to the moves made by Wayne Rooney and David Beckham from Manchester United to American clubs.

Following his turbulent departure from Manchester United in November, Ronaldo announced on Friday that he had signed a remarkable £175 million-per-year contract with the Saudi Arabian team. However, his action has infuriated several football analysts.

Now, Ferdinand has retaliated after Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher voiced their “sadness” at the transfer, claiming that it signaled Ronaldo’s retirement from elite competition.

Ferdinand, a former United defender, compared Ronaldo’s decision to several past Premier League players who ended their careers in the US, noting Wayne Rooney’s two-year stint with DC United in the MLS.

No man had earned the right to the transfer more than the Portuguese great, according to Ferdinand.

‘It was great to see David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, it was great to see them go to America,’ Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE podcast. ‘What a way to finish their careers, getting great money, going to a league that’s not as competitive, they’ve deserved that, they’ve earned the right.

‘That’s all I saw in the media. But because it’s Saudi Arabia, it’s a disgrace, it’s sad. Let a man go and live, let a man go and enjoy it. It’s a new adventure he’s taking his family to experience a new culture.

‘Every single country in the world has its issues, so America has got less issues than Saudi, have they? But it’s fine for all these players to go to America. Let’s let them go to the States and have a swansong year and just toss it off.

‘I don’t like it. It stinks we’re not hearing this type of talk. It’s out of order.

‘Everyone should be treated the same. Every other player that’s gone to a less competitive league to end their career has been told you’ve earned the right. No man on the planet would have earned the right more than this guy.’

According to reports from Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo agreed to a two-year contract.

With a £175 million contract that runs through June 2025, when he would be 39, he becomes the highest-paid player in all of football.

The Saudi Pro League team tweeted to announce his signing, writing: “The world’s greatest athlete officially signed with Al-Nassr,” adding that Ronaldo would also serve as an ambassador.